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Hiotographic 
_,Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
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microfiches. 


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of  tl 
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the  I 
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othe 
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or  ill 


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The 
shall 
TINl 
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Map 
diffe 
entir 
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right 
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10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 


12X 


16X 


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24X 


28X 


32X 


ire 

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les  du 
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per  une 
fllmage 


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6es 


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Bibiiothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


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empreinte. 


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shall  contain  the  symbol  —»>( meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernldre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
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symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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method: 


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fllm6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
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A    SKETCH 


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THE   EVENTS 


WHICH  PRECEDED  THE 


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CAPTURE  OF  WASHINGTON, 


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TWENTY-FOURTH  OF  AUGUST,  1814. 


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"  If  we  desire  to  avoid  hisuli,  we  must  be  prepared  to  repel  it."— G.  Washinoton,  1793. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
CAREY   AND   HART,  126, 

CHARLES  MARSHALL,  148  CHESTNUT  STREET. 

1849. 


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Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849,  by 

EDWARD  D.  INGRAHAM, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


PHILADELPHIA : 
T.  K.  AND  F.  a.  COLLINS,  FEINTERS. 


J 


PREFACE. 


An  accidental  circumstance,  in  the  summer  of  1848, 
induced  me  to  view  the  ground  on  which  the  battle  of 
Bladensburg  was  fought,  and  a  desire  to  become  better 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  things  which  preceded  that 
disastrous  event,  led  me  to  search  for  information  from 
various  sources.  Many  of  the  cotemporaneous  publi- 
cations have  disappeared  entirely;  others  are  scarce, 
and  not  readily  procured ;  and  it  was  found  to  be  no 
easy  matter  to  arrange  the  various  materials  which, 
with  considerable  industry,  I  had  collected  together. 
An  increasing  interest  in  the  subject,  derived  from  my 
researches,  led  me  to  seek  for  unpublished  papers  and 
documents,  of  which  some  have  been  furnished  by  the 
families  of  the  actors  in  the  scenes  described,  and 
others  by  some  of  the  few  surviving  actors  themselves. 
Having  satisfied  my  own  curiosity,  and  formed  my 
own  opinion,  the  thought  struck  me  that,  perhaps,  that 
which  had  so  much  interested  me,  might  not  be  without 
interest  for  those  who  were  inclined  to  examine  into 
the  history  of  the  events  of  their  own  country ;  and  I 


5  r,t 


iv  V*.     »'^"^>      PREpAfi.   '^ 

was  induced  to^extdnd^the  notes  I  had  made  in  the 
course  of  my  inquiries,  into  the  sketch  which  is  now 
given  to  the  public.  I  am  indebted  for  the  map,  ex- 
hibiting the  ground,  and  the  positions  of  the  American 
troops  and  the  enemy's  forces,  to  the  kindness  of  Peter 
Force,  Esq.,  of  Washington,  from  whose  excellent  His- 
torical Library  I  have  also  derived  much  and  valuable 
assistance. 

E.  D.  I. 
Philadelphia^  March  1,  1849. 


of 


J] 


A  SKETCH  OF  THE  EVENTS,  &c. 


"  Were  nations  to  review  in  peace  their  motives  for  having  made  war, 
with  the  means  they  employed,  and  the  method  by  which  they  conducted 
it,  they  would,  in  general,  find  much  to  blame  in  a  moral  as  well  as  a 
military  view;  the  conviction  of  the  wrongs  they  did,  and  the  blunders 
they  committed,  might,  on  another  and  similar  occasion,  improve  both 
their  ethics  and  tactics,  and  make  them,  at  once,  better  men  and  abler 
soldiers;  but  as  nations  cannot  be  brought  together,  it  rests  with  govern- 
ments to  perform  this  duty  of  self  examination,  when,  if  they  omit  it, 
the  task  devolves  on  the  historian. "(*) 


It  is  proposed  to  review  the  method  by  which  a 
portion  of  the  war  of  1812  was  conducted,  which  led  to 
the  deep  disgrace  of  the  nation  abroad,  and  its  deeper 
mortification  at  home.  The  capture  of  Washington  by 
a  handful  of  men,  after  more  than  twelve  months'  notice 
to  the  proper  authority  of  coming  danger,  and  more  than 
six  months  of  actual,  impending  peril,  ought  never  to 
be  forgotten,  for  the  lesson  it  holds  out  to  confident 
security  and  ill-judged  procrastination. 

At  the  distance  of  thirty-four  years  from  the  period 
of  the  transaction,  at  the  close  of  an  uniformly  suc- 
cessful campaign,  in  which  victory  seems  to  have  be- 
longed to  the  arms  of  the  United  States,  it  is  difficult  to 

(')  Mabit.  Gen.  Armstrong  lias  adopted  the  quotation  as  the  "  Preface"  to  his 
"Notices  of  the  War  of  1812,"  (New  York,  Geo.  Dearborn,  1836,  1840,)  where  it 
is  credited  (by  the  mistake  of  the  printer)  to  Mabbt.  ,        . 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS.    ETC. 


,-. 


J  J 


realize  that  forty-five  hundred  infantry,  without  artillery, 
and  under  the  effects  of  a  climate  deadly  to  European 
constitutions,  should  have  marched  fifty  miles  into  a 
country  peculiarly  adapted  for  defence,  whose  inhabit- 
ants had  heretofore  been  celebrated  for  bravery,  and 
their  skill  in  irregular  warfare,  destroyed  with  every 
degree  of  wanton  barbarism  the  capitol  of  the  country, 
and  been  permitted  to  retire  unmolested  to  their  ship- 
ping, to  prosecute  a  new  enterprise  undertaken  upon  the 
impunity  which  attended  such  extraordinary  success. 

War  was  declared  against  Great  Britain  on  the  1 8th 
of  June,  1812;  and  so  early  as  December  of  that  year 
notice  was  received  in  the  United  States  from  Bermuda, 
that  a  British  squadron  had  arrived  at  that  place,  hav- 
ing on  board  a  considerable  body  of  troops,  with  the 
requisite  munitions,  including  Congreve  rockets,  des- 
tined for  the  attack  of  the  southern  cities  of  the  United 
States. (*)  On  the  4th  of  February  following  two  ships 
of  the  line,  three  frigates,  and  some  smaller  vessels  of 
this  squadron  entered  the  mouth  of  the  Chesapeake, 
and  came  to  anchor  in  Hampton  Roads.  The  destruc- 
tion of  private  property,  the  capture  of  negroes,(^)  and 
the  burning  of  Frederick,  Georgetown,  Havre  de  Grace, 
and  Frenchtown,  and  the  exercise  of  almost  incredi- 
ble barbarities  on  the  defenceless  inhabitants,  followed 
the  arrival  of  this  force,(^)  which  was  afterwards  in- 
creased to  seven  ships  of  the  line  and  thirteen  frigates, 
having  on  board  four  thousand  infantry.  An  attempt 
vi^as  made  by  this  armament  to  take  Norfolk,  on  the  22d 
of  June,  1813;  but  the  timely  organization  of  a  small 

(')  Palmer,  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  ii.  83. 

(»)  700  were  at  Bermuda  in  Jan.,  1814.  Nat.  Int.,  March  17,  1814 ;  Niles'  Reg., 
vol.  vi.  45. 

(*)  Armstrong,  Not.  of  War,  vol.  ii.  p.  46.  Macon,  Report  on  the  Barbarities  of 
the  Enemy,  1813. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,    ETC. 


rtillery, 
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a  small 

^files'  Reg., 
rbarities  of 


militia  force,  and  their  efficient  resistance,  with  the  aid 
of  a  liandful  of  seamen  and  marines,  proved  sufficient 
to  def(jat  the  attack  and  repulse  the  enemy  with  signal 
lovSs,(')  and  they  proceeded  to  North  Carolina,  to  repeat 
at  Ocrucoke  and  Portsmouth  the  revolting  acts  which 
the^  had  pretviously  perpetrated  in  Maryland.  The 
attitude  of  the  defenders  of  those  two  places  induced 
Admiral  Cockburn  to  return  to  the  Chesapeake,  to 
resume  his  system  of  plunder,  the  particulars  of  which 
need  not  be  enumerated.(^) 

So  early  as  March  the  1st,  1814,  Admiral  Cockburn, 
with  one  seventy-four,  two  frigates,  a  brig  and  a  schooner, 
arrived  in  Lynnhaven  Bay,  and  began  the  usual  system 
of  capture  and  plunder.(^)  Their  presence  was  con- 
tinually taken  notice  of,  and  published  in  the  city  of 
Washington, (^)  where  the  probable  result  of  the  cam- 
paign in  Europe,  which  soon  left  at  the  disposal  of  the 
British  government  a  large  body  of  troops  then  serving 
in  France,  was  publicly  known,  and  seems  to  have 
excited  neither  attention,  remark, (*)  nor  preparation. 
Soon  after,  the  fact  was  announced  that  4000  troops, 
said  to  be  destined  for  the  United  States,(^)  had,  on 
the  20th  of  January,  arrived  at  Bermuda,  where  the 
preparations  for  their  successful  action  were  going  on 
with  the  knowledge  of  every  member  of  the  cabinet. (^) 

(')  Palmer,  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  ii.  p.  86. 

(^)  One  of  his  exploits  was  the  plundering  and  burning,  on  the  27Ui  Nov.,  1813, 
at  St.  George's  Island,  the  cottage  of  a  poor  man,  whose  daughter  was  twice  fired 
at  by  one  of  the  party. — Niles'  Reg.,  vol.  v.  p.  219. 

(3)  Nat.  Int.,  March  7,  1814.  (<)  Ibid.,  March  11,  1814. 

(5)  Ibid.;  and  see  Nat.  Int.,  March  23,  1814,  postscript,  April  18,  1814;  9th  May 
postscript. 

(«)  Nat.  Int.,  March  17,  1814. 

C)  TheArmida  and  Lacedemonian  frigates,  two  scluioners,  a  brig,  and  the  Albion 
and  Dragon,  seventy-fours,  were  in  the  Bay  on  the  16th  March,  and  placed  three 
buoys.— Nat.  Int.,  March  22,  1814. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


m 


The  "  shadows  of  coining  events"  grew  stronger  as  the 
events  themselves  drew  nearer;  and  the  intelligence 
from  France,  little  heeded,  it  would  seem,  soon  became 
distinct  and  positive(') — confirmation  arrived  from  time 
to  time,  as  later  intelligence  was  received  of  designs,  the 
news  of  which  served  to  fill  a  column  in  the  government 
newspaper,  but  seems  to  have  brought  no  warning  to 
those  who  were  so  soon  to  sufFer.(^)  One  individual, 
indeed,  like  Cassandra,  prophesied  in  vain.  The  views 
pointed  out  by  him  were  fully  justified  by  the  events, (') 
and  are  in  strong  contrast  with  the  inchnation,  apparent 
in  the  neighborhood  of  danger,  to  treat  as  unworthy  of 
belief  that  which  should  have  operated  as  warning.  (") 
Islands  in  the  Chesapeake  were  forcibly  occupied,  hos- 
pitals and  fortifications  erected ;  but  to  the  nation,  under 
the  editorial  head  of  the  government  journal,  it  was 
said,(*)  "  We  have  no  idea  of  his"  (the  enemy  then  at 
Blackstone's  Island)  "attempting  to  reach  the  vicinity 
of  the  Capitol;  and  if  he  does,  we  have  no  doubt  he 
will  meet  such  a  reception  as  he  had  a  sample  of  at 
Craney  Island.  The  enemy  knows  better  than  to  trust 
himself  abreast  of,  or  on  this  side  of  Fort  Washing- 
ton."(^)     At  the  time  of  this  luckless  boast  the  enemy 


J 


(')  Nat.  Int.,  March  28,  1814,  postscript.  See  Ibid.,  March  30,  1814,  "Late  Fo- 
reign News;"  6000  troops  were  daily  looked  for. 

(')  Ibid.,  April  5,  1814.  6000  n.tn  destined  for  the  southern  states.  On  the 
6th  April  the  enemy  in  the  Chesapeake  were  reinforced  (Ibid.,  April  12,  1814)  by 
two  sail  of  the  line.     The  same  statement  from  a  deserter. — Ibid.,  April  30,  1814. 

(3)  "Americanus  to  the  Military  of  the  District  of  Columbia,"  Ibid.,  6th  and  11th 
of  April,  1814. 

(<)  Ibid.,  April  23,  1814.  "Idle  Rumor," — that  Admiral  Cochrane  had  arrived 
with  5000  troops,  Norfolk,  April  16.  See  the  "Ode  on  the  National  Apathy," Ibid., 
Sept.  20,  1814. 

(5)  Ibid.,  May  7,  1814. 

(6)  Which  afterwards,  (Aug.  27,  1814,)  without  any  attempt  at  defence,  was 
abandoned  and  destroyed  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  "  Report  of  the  Comm. 
appointed  to  Imnire  into  the  Causes,  &c.,  of  the  Invasion  of  Washington,"  p.  328  ; 


A    SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


•  as  the 
iligence 
became 
nn  time 
^ns,  the 
rnment 
ning  to 
ividiial, 
e  views 
r'ents,('^) 
pparent 
)rthy  of 
ning.(^) 
ed,  hos- 
L,  under 

it  was 
then  at 
i^icinity 
lubt  he 
e  of  at 
to  trust 
ashing- 

enemy 

"Late  Fo- 

!.     On  the 

!,  1814)  by 

30,  1814. 

h  and  11th 

lad  arrived 
ithy,"  Ibid., 


;fence,  was 
the  Comm. 
"  p.  328  J 


had  been  in  the  Potomac  for  a  week,  and  by  their 
movements  harassed  the  militia  of  St.  Mary's  County, 
called  out  under  a  law  which  the  chief  magistrate  of 
Maryland  pronounced  to  be  "a  dead  letter,"(»)  and  two 
days  afterwards  intelligence  was  received  that  the  allies 
were  in  Paris. (^) 

Of  the  actual  condition  of  the  country  on  the  Chesa- 
peake the  enemy  were  fully  aware.  They  received 
the  newspapers, (^)  they  were  continually  receiving  ne- 
groes(^)  well  acquainted  with  every  locality, (*)  and 
spies,  it  was  well  understood,  "  passed  daily  in  and  out 
of  Washington,  and  through  the  country."(*^)  The  ad- 
miTiistration  knew  these  things,  which  were  published 
at  the  seat  of  government,  in  the  official  journal,  to 
which  reference  is  made  as  the  evidence  of  their  occur- 
rence. The  encouragement  given  to  an  enemy,  by  such 
a  state  of  affairs,  to  proceed  from  one  enterprise  to  an- 
other more  hardy,  may  be  readily  imagined,  as  well  as 
the  suffering  and  loss  to  individuals,  and  the  national 
honor,  from  acts,  which  either  no  means  existed  to  pre- 

a  hastily  prepared  and  not  very  intelligible  production,  chiefly  valuable  for  the  Docu- 
ments in  the  Appendix. — See  Nat.  Int.,  Nov.  30,  1814.  The  attention  of  Virginia 
to  the  defence  of  her  seaboard  seems  to  have  been  early  awakened.  See  the 
account  of  the  "Mountaineers''  wl'.o  marched  to  Norfolk  between  the  31st  of  March 
and  2d  of  May,  1814.     Ibid.,  May  9,  1814;  June  27,  1814. 

(')  Nat.  Int.,  May  16,  1814.  As  it  turned  out  to  be  subsequently. — See  "District 
Orders,"  Aug.  13,  1814.     Ibid.,  Aug.  16,  1814. 

O  Ibid.,  May  18,  1814.  (3)  Ibid.,  June  0,  1814. 

(4)  Scotts  (capt.  R.  N.)  Rec.  of  a  Naval  Life,  vol.  iii.  p.  118.  See  the  effect  it 
had  upon  the  negroes  at  Fredericktovvn,  Md.  Nat.  Int.,  Aug.  24,  1814,  under  the 
head  of  "  The  Little  Plot." 

(5)  Scott,  vol.  iii.  p.  76.     Lond.,  1834. 

(«)  Nat.  Int.,  July  23, 1814.  "The  enemy  was  conducted  through  the  city  (after 
the  battle  of  Bladensburg)  by  a  former  resident  of  the  city,  who,  with  other  de- 
tected traitors,  is  now  in  confinement." — Niles'  Reg.,  vol.  vi.  p.  446.  See  the  Let- 
ter of  R.  Rush,  Esq.,  Nat.  Int.,  Oct.  3,  1814.  An  agent  for  British  prisoners,  Col. 
Barclay,  was  allowed  to  reside  at  Bladensburg.  Gen.  Ross's  Despatch,  Palmer's 
Hist,  vol.  iv.  p.  149. 


'1  i 


1 


6  A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 

vent,(^)  or  which  were  attempted  to  be  resisted  with 
inadequate  forces,  hastily  drawn  together,  to  J*  commit 
many  blunders"  upon  the  spur  of  the  occasion. f) 

Very  soon,  however,  the  same  official  gazette,  which 
contained  the  President's  proclamation  in  answer  to 
Admiral  Cochrane's  declaration  that  the  whole  Atlantic 
coast  of  the  United  States  was  in  a  state  of  blockade, 
contained  also  a  paragraph,  taken  from  a  London 
paper  of  the  20th  of  April,  announcing  that  "a  num- 
ber of  the  largest  class  of  transports  were  fitting  out, 
with  all  possible  speed,  at  Portsmouth,  as  well  as  all 
the  troop  ships  at  that  port,  for  the  purpose,  it  was 
supposed,  of  going  to  Bordeaux,  to  take  the  most 
effective  regiments  in  Lord  Wellington's  army  to  Ame- 
rica;(^)  and  the  next  day's  paper  stated  the  arrival  of 
a  cartel  from  Bermuda  at  New  York,  on  the  28th  of 
June,  bringing  intelligence  that  she  had  "left  at  Ber- 
muda a  fleet  of  transports,  with  a  large  force  on  board, 
to  sail  in  one  or  two  days  for  some  port  in  the  United 
States — probably  for  the  Potomac. "('') 

Such  intelligence  was  not  entirely  without  its  effect 
upon  the  long-continued  apathy  of  the  administration. 

(')  "For  five  miles  round  we  have  no  arms." — Dorsey's  Letter,  (Nat.  Int.,  June 
20,  1814,)  giving  an  account  of  the  attack  on  Benedict.  Six  days  after  (June  20) 
official  notice  was  received  of  the  pacification  of  Europe.  Armstrong,  Not.  of  War 
of  1812,  p.  127. 

(2)  See  Col.  Wadswoith's  Letter  from  the  camp  at  St.  Leonard's,  June  26,  Nat. 
Int.,  June  29,  1814.  Letter  from  an  Eye-witness,  Ibid.,  July  7,  1814.  Statement 
from  T.  P.  Andrews'  Journal,  Ibid.,  July  9, 1814. 

(3)  Nat.  Int.,  June  30,  1814.  The  expedition  sailed  June  2d.  Gleig's  Camp. 
British  Army  at  Washington,  p.  41. 

(■•)  Nat.  Int.,  July  1,  1814.  The  same  paper  stated  diat  the  War  Department,  in 
consequence  of  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  from  the  waters  of  the  Patuxent,  had  di- 
reeled  the  militia  of  the  District  to  return  home,  and  that  the  cavalry  had  arrived 
and  been  dismissed.  The  governor  of  Virginia  had  issued  orders  for  twenty  regi- 
ments  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice,  to  repel 
invasion.     Four  more  were  subsequently  called  upon.     Ibid,,  July  4,  1814. 


I'  ■  f 


l1 


ed  with 
commit 

') 

I,  which 
swer  to 
A-tlantic 
lockade, 
London 
a  num- 
ng  out, 
[1  as  all 

it  was 
e  most 
to  Ame- 
rival  of 
28th  of 
at  Ber- 
1  board, 

United 

;s  effect 
stration. 

t.  Int.,  June 

(June  20) 

Jot.  of  War 

me  26,  Nat. 
Statement 

?ig's  Camp. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC.  7 

The   following  notice  to  those   deeply  concerned   in 
effective  measures  made  its  official  appearance.        ^ 


WASHINGTON  CITY, 

FKIDAY,  JULY  8. 

"  DEFENSIVE  MEASURES, 

We  understand,  are  already  arranged  by  tlie  War  Department,  to 
guard  against  and  repel  the  depredations  of  the  enemy  on  the  shores  of 
the  waters  adjacent  to  this  district.  It  is  said  that  a  camp  of  two  thou- 
sand regular  troops,  of  whom  two  hundred  are  to  be  dragoons,  is  to  be 
established  at  some  point  between  the  Patuxent  and  Potomac,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  send  out,  at  the  shortest  notice,  detachments  to  any  point  invaded 
or  menaced  on  either  river.  Requisitions  of  militia,  it  is  also  said,  are  to 
be  held  in  readiness  to  aid  this  force  in  repelling  any  attack  on  this  city 
of  a  more  formidable  character,  if  attempted.  These  measures  cannot  but 
aflPord  much  satisfaction  to  the  people  of  this  district,  and  of  the  adjoin- 
ing country,  as  it  will  relieve  them  from  the  liability  to  perform  military 
service,  except  on  really  urgent  occasions." (^) 

Properly  carried  out,  such  a  plan  would  have  ensured 
safety ;  (2)  and  it  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  been  too  soon 

(')  Nat.  Int.,  July  8, 1814.  The  "General  Orders"  issued  from  the  adjutant  gene- 
ral's office  at  Richmond,  (Va.,)  appeared  the  next  day,  calling  on  the  regiments 
designated  to  be  ready,  "as  the  enemy,  inflated  with  the  splendid  successes  in 
Europe,  would  omit  no  exertion  or  preparation  to  make  the  state  feel  his  strength." 
Ibid.,  July  9,  1814.  The  sailing  from  Bermuda  of  four  ships  of  the  line,  with 
troops  on  board,  previously  to  the  16th  of  June,  and  that  Admiral  Cochrane,  with 
four  more  sail  of  the  line,  and  several  frigates,  &c.,  with  troops,  were  to  depart 
from  the  same  place,  for  the  American  coast,  on  the  20th  of  June,  is  stated  in  the 
Nat.  Int.  of  July  12,  1814.  A  capital  plan  of  defence,  by  "  Americanus,"  appears 
in  the  Nat.  Int.  of  July  14,  1814. 

O  This  is  substantially  the  plan  proposed  by  the  President  to  the  cabinet  on  the 


kMtj£jari.iJija^ 


1 1 


A  ] 


g  A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 

-  * 

determined  upon,  for  on  the  14th  of  July,  thirteen  sail  of 
the  enemy's  vessels  were  ascending  the  Bay,  in  time  to 
reach  the  Patuxent  that  night, (')  and  nine  sail  had 
come  into  Lynnhaven  Bay  on  the  12th  of  July,  sup- 
posed to  be  a  reinforcement,  with  Admiral  Lord  Coch- 
rane on  board. (^)  It  is  not  to  be  concealed  that,  what- 
ever alarm  the  inhabitants  of  the  District  may  have  felt, 
the  War  Department  treated  the  matter  very  lightly. (^) 
In  the  order  of  events  the  inquiry  presents  itself — 
what  measures  were  taken  to  form  "  the  camp"  of  regu- 
lars, and  to  call  for  the  auxiliary  aid  of  militia  ?  On  the 
2d  of  July,  1814,  the  10th  Military  District  w^as  created. 
It  was  composed  of  the  State  of  Maryland,  the  District 
of  Columbia,  and  that  part  of  Virginia  lying  between 
the  Rappahannock  and  Potomac  Rivers ;  the  command 
of  it  was  assigned  to  Brig.  Gen.  Winder  of  the  United 
States  Army,('')  and  a  requisition  for  93,500  men,  was 
made  upon  the  several  States,(*)  "to  be  organized  and 
held  in  readiness  for  immediate  service  under  the  laws  of 
the  28th  of  February,  1795,  and  18th  of  April,  1814." 
Upon  paper  all  this  has  a  formidable  appearance ;  but 
the  appointment  of  a  general,  unless  a  proper  military 
staff  is  furnished  him,  and  efficient  troops  given  to  him, 
is  a  very  unnecessary  ceremony.     There  were  few  re- 

Ist  of  July,  Rep.  of  Comm.,  p.  6,  and  stated  by  Col.  Monroe,  and  confirmed  by  Gen. 
Armstrong,  Rep.  of  Comm.,  2S9,  290.     See  the  account  of  the  state  of  the  militia  of 
the  District,  Nat.  Int.,  July  18, 1S14,  "Local  Defence." 
(')  Nat.  Int.,  July  16,  1814. 

(2)  Ibid.,  July  18,  1814.  Letter  from  Norfolk,  dated  July  12 ;  at  that  place  they 
were  "prepared  to  receive  them." 

(3)  Ibid.,  July  15,  1814.  See  the  statement,  Scott's  Rec.  of  a  Naval  Life,  vol.  iii. 
p.  239. 

(■»)  Gen.  Orders,  Adj.  and  Insp.  General's  office,  2d  July.     Nat.  Int.,  July  6, 1814. 

(5)  Appendix,  No.  1.  Nat.  Int.,  July  11,  1814.  It  states  expressly,  that  it 
was  "  not  known  with  certainty  that  any  particular  point  or  points  would  be  the 
objects  of  attack." 


S 

IVi 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


9 


gular  troops  within  the  power  of  the  government — the 
most  numerous  body  which  had  recently  been  within 
or  near  the  District,  500  men  of  the  10th  infantry,  under 
Lt.  Col.  Clinch,  "a  body  of  stout,  active  young  men, 
enlisted  in  North  Carolina,  which  had  been  encamped 
near  Washington  for  several  weeks,"  were  marched 
away  to  the  northern  frontier  on  the  13th  of  June,  in 
the  midst  of  the  alarm  of  an  expected  attack. (')  In 
strictness,  two  detachments  of  the  36th  and  38th  in- 
fantry, and  a  small  detachment  of  artillery,  amounting, 
in  the  whole,  to  330  men,(^)  were  all  that  could  be  said 
to  be  at  their  disposal  at  the  time  that  the  10th  Military 
District  was  created,  nor  was  this  great  deficiency  re- 
medied in  any  degree  before  the  troops  were  called  into 
action.     ...*...— — 

No  orders  were  issued  by  the  War  Department  ap- 
pointing an  assistant  adjutant  geneial,  assistant  inspector 
general,  or  assigning  to  duty  in  the  District  any  topo- 
graphical engineers;  and  it  is  well  known,  that  General 
Winder's  greatest  complaint  was,  that  he  had  not  the 
aid  of  this  staff,  without  which  the  proper  organization, 
equipment,  and  efficiency  of  troops  is  impossible,  and 
that  his  time  was  occupied  by  an  oppressive  mass  of 
detail,  when  he  should  have  been  at  liberty  to  devote  it 
to  duties  of  a  very  different  character. (^) 

With  regard  to  the  militia  force  which  "  it  was  con- 

(')  Nat.  Int.,  June  18,  1814.  The  notice  of  their  departure  is  immediately  under 
the  account  of  the  alarm  occasioned  by*the  report  of  the  burning  of  Benedict  and 
Lower  Marlborough. 

(')  Report  of  Committee,  p.  144.  The  garrisons  of  Forts  MHenry,  Severn,  and 
Washington,  are,  of  course,  not  included ;  they  amounted  to  282  men,  who  could 
not  be  withdrawn  from  those  forts. 

(3)  He  urged  it  on  the  Department,  (Letter  9th  July,  1814,  Appendix,  No.  2,)  but 
though  promised  on  the  12th  of  July,  (Appendix,  No  3,)  it  was  the  10th  of  August 
following  before  Mr.  Hite,  who  received  his  orders  on  the  9th  from  the  War  De- 
partment, reported  himself.     Letter  10th  Aug.  1814,  Appendix,  No.  4. 


I 


m 


A   SKETCH  OF   THE  EVENTS,   ETC. 


templated  to  hold  in  readiness"  in  the  neighboring 
states,  "to  march  without  delay  in  case  of  necessity," 
it  is  obvious,  that  its  usefulness  would  depend  on  the 
nature  of  the  force  called  for,  and  its  state  of  prepara- 
tion and  fitness  for  service  when  brought  to  the  field. 
The  requisition  of  the  War  Department  of  the  4th 
July,  1814,  upon  the  several  states  was  for  artillery  and 
infantry  only,  cavalry — an  absolutely  necessary  species 
of  force,  in  the  event  to  be  provided  against — was  en- 
tirely omitted.  (^)  Nor  does  the  detail  furnished  to  the 
Governors  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  or  Virginia,  in- 
dicate that  riflemen,  the  most  effective  troops  against  an 
invading  army,  were  to  form  any  portion  of  the  force 
called  for.(^)  The  requisition  on  theXrovernor  of  Penn- 
sylvania was  ten  days  in  reaching  'S/utm&ii^'X^)  and 
under  date  of  July  25,  1814,  the  Secretary  of  the  Com- 
monwealth points  out,  to  the  Secretary  at  War,  the  rea- 
sons which  existed  in  the  way  of  complying  with  the 
requisition,  showing  clearly  that  no  aid  was  to  be  ex- 
pected from  that  state,  and  his  letter  of  the  27th  August 
following  confirms  his  first  statement.  C)  In  Virginia 
the  object  of  the  requisition  seems  to  have  been  under- 
stood as  a  call  to  repel  sudden  invasion  which  might 
fall  upon  the  State,  and  the  Deputy  Adjutant  General 
informs  the  Secretary  at  War,  on  the  14th  July,  1814,(*) 
that  such  previous  preparation  had  been  made  for  that 
purpose,  that  it  was  "  believed  that  the  object  of  the  re- 
quisition had  been  anticipated."    The  Secretary  at  War, 

(')  Gen.  Winder,  in  his  letter  to  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  of  the  17th  July, 
wishes  as  many  of  the  militia  as  possible  to  be  riflemen.  The  Governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  the  detail  accompanying  his  "General  Orders'"  of  the  22d  July,  1814, 
specifies  that  " deficiencies  of  artillery  must  be  supplied  hy  ii^jal  numbers  of  in- 
fantry" and  that  "  rifle  corps  will  be  received  in  lieu  of  infantry.^*  Aurora,  July  29, 
1814. 

(')  Appendix,  No.  1. 

(3)  Sec.  Boileau  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  July  14, 1814,  Appendix,  No.  5. 

(■»)  Appendix,  No.  6.  (s)  Appendix,  No.  7. 


or 


A    SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


11 


in  reply,  under  date  of  July  18,  1814,  states  to  the 
Governor  of  Virginia,  that  the  arrangements  and  prepa- 
rations made,  could  "  not  be  considered  as  fulfilHng  the 
vievi^s  of  the  President;"  and  "that  2000  of  the  quota 
of  Virginia  will  be  put  at  the  disposition  of  Gen. 
Winder,  as  commanding  this  District."(')  The  Go- 
vernor of  Maryland,  under  date  of  the  29th  July,  1814, 
in  answer  to  the  requisition,  shows  how  little  reliance 
was  to  be  placed  on  aid  from  that  state,  either  as  to  time 
or  numbers.(^) 

It  cannot  have  escaped  the  reader,  that  the  requisi- 
tion on  the  Governors  of  the  States  was  for  militia  "  to 
be  held  in  readiness  for  immediate  service.  With  that 
object  this  force  was  to  be  placed  at  the  disposition  of 
the  government,  in  accordance  with  the  plan  suggested 
by  the  President  to  the  Cabinet  on  the  1st  of  July, 
1814,(')  and  that  when  the  quotas  were  organized  and 
completed,  and  the  places  of  rendezvous  reported  by 
the  state  authorities,  who  were  to  designate  the  species  of 
forces,  and  their  places  of  rendezvous,^*)  the  forces  so 
organized  became  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  Govern- 
ment, but  not  before.  Previously  to  any  intelHgence 
from  the  several  states,  and  acting  as  if  the  requisition 
had  been  complied  with,  the  Secretary  at  War,  on  the 
12th  of  July,  informed  the  General  commanding  the 
District,  that,  "  in  case  of  actual  or  menaced  invasion, 
he  might  call  for  a  part,  or  the  whole  of  the  quota  as- 
signed to  the  State  of  Maryland,  which  shall  have  been 
organized  and  equipped  under  the  aforesaid  requisition," 

(')  Appendix,  No.  8.    The  construction  put  by  Gen.  Gooch  on  this  requisition 
is  obviously  the  correct  one.  _,     •  ^o 

(3)  Rep.  Coram,  of  July,  p.  6.     "The  convenient  depots  of  arms  and  military 
equipments  to  be  established,"  do  not  seem  to  have  been  thought  of  afterwards. 

(4)  Appendix,  No.  1. 


12 


A  SKETCH  OF  THE  EVENTS,  ETC. 


and  on  the  17th  (*)  of  the  same  month,  with  no  addi- 
tional information,  the  General  was  "authorized  to  draw 
from  the  quota  of  Virginia  2000  men,  and  from  the 
quota  of  Pennsylvania  5000."     The  letters  are  given.(') 

War  Department,  July  12,  1814. 

Sir  : — You  will  receive  herewith  the  copy  of  a  circu- 
lar letter  addressed  to  the  governors  of  certain  states, 
requiring  a  body  of  militia  to  be  organized,  equipped, 
and  held  in  readiness  for  future  service. 

In  case  of  actual  or  menaced  invasion  of  the  District 
you  command,  you  will  call  for  a  part,  or  for  the  whole 
of  the  quota  assigned  to  the  state  of  Maryland,  which 
shall  have  been  organized  and  equipped  under  the  afore- 
said requisition. 

In  performing  this  duty,  you  will  be  careful  to  avoid 
unnecessary  calls,  to  proportion  the  call  to  the  exigency, 
and  to  have  inspected,  without  delay,  all  corps  entering 
on  service,  to  the  end  that  men,  who  from  any  cause  are 
unfit  therefor,  be  promptly  discharged,  and  that  a  due 
proportion,  in  all  cases,  be  maintained  between  officers 
and  privates. 

I  am  sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obt.  servant, 

J.  ARMSTRONG. 

Brigadier  General  Winder. 

War  Department,  July  17,  1814. 
Sir  : — In  addition  to  my  circular  letter  of  the  12th 
inst. ,  which  subjects  to  your  call  the  quota  of  Mar3rland 

(')  The  letter,  as  printed  in  the  Report  of  the  Investigating  Committee,  is  dated 
the  18th  of  July,  (p.  125,)  and  so  Gen.  Armstrong  states  it:  "Notices,"  &c.,  vol.  ii. 
p.  128.  Some  of  the  pamphlets  which  arose  out  of  the  events"of  fli8*HiSy  state  it 
to  have  been  the  17th,  which  is  the  true  date,  as  appears  from  the  original  now 
before  the  writer. 

(2)  From  the  originals  now  before  the  writer. 


A  SKETCH  OF  THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


13 


militia,  you  are  also  authorized  to  draw  from  that  of 
Virginia  2000  men,  and  from  the  quota  of  Pennsylvania 
5000.  The  whole  of  the  militia  of  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, amounting  to  about  2000,  is  kept  in  a  disposable 
state,  and  subject  to  your  orders. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully. 

Your  most  obt.  servant, 

J.  ARMSTRONG. 
Brigadier  General  Winder. 

It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  the  plan  of  the  War  De- 
partment was,  to  have  recourse  to  "the  militia  of  the 
District  kept  in  a  disposable  state,"  and  that  in  the 
event  of  actual  invasion,  the  quotas  of  the  states  "  held 
in  readiness  iox  future  service,"  were  to  be  called  out  on 
the  spur  of  the  occasion,  but  that  no  present  disposition 
of  them  was  to  be  made.(*) 

The  condition  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  of  the 
10th  Military  District,  therefore,  from  the  2d  of  July, 
1814,  up  to  the  moment  of  actual  invasion  of  the  enemy 
on  the  18th  August,  was  utterly  defenceless,  and  their 
helpless  condition  was  well  known  to  those  who  took 
advantage(*)  of  it  to  strike  ii  blow  that  such  a  condition 

(■)  It  is  very  clear  that  the  oommandii  ig  general  of  the  10th  Military  District  had 
not  any  power  at  all  over  these  quotas  uwtil  organized  and  equipped  under  the  re- 
quisition, which  it  was  the  duty  of  the  War  Department  to  see  carried  into  effect ; 
merely  to  make  the  requisition  neither  exhausted  the  power  nor  fulfilled  the  duty  of 
that  office. 

(*)  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Washington,  p.  162,  (Am.  ed.,)  says,  that  the  "capture  of 
Washington  was  not  the  original  end  of  the  expedition;  to  destroy  the  (Barney's) 
flotilla  was  the  sole  object  of  the  disembarkation ;  and  but  for  the  instigation  of 
Admiral  Cockburn,  who  accompanied  the  army,  the  capitol  would  probably  have 
escaped.  This  statement  is  different  from  Scott's,  (Rec.  of  Naval  Life,  vol.  iii. 
272,)  who  says  that  the  capture  of  Washington  was  the  object,  and  was  to  be 
masked  by  an  attack  on  the  flotilla.  See  his  statement  (pp.  271,  272)  as  to  the 
information  gained  of  the  resources  of  the  Americans,  "and  the  character  of  the 
troops  likely  to  be  brought  into  contact  with  the  forthcoming  expedition."  Coch- 
rane's  despatches  agree  with  Scott. — Palmer's  Hist.  Reg ,  vol.  iv.  137. 


1 

V. 


14 


A   SKETCH  OP   THE  EVENTS,   ETC. 


I         1 


invited.  The  force,  by  which  the  hazardous  expedition 
viras  undertaken,  amounted  to  but  4500  men,(*)  includ- 
ing sailors  and  armed  negroes,  entirely  destitute  of 
cavalry,  and  dragging  with  them,  by  hand,  one  six- 
pounder,  and  two  three-pounder  grasshoppers.  The 
distance  to  march  was  upwards  of  forty  miles,  through 
a  country  intersected  with  streams,  and  covered 
with  woods,  during  excessively  sultry  weather,  the 
effect  of  which,  upon  men  who  had  been  relaxed  by 
being  long  cooped  up  in  ships,  and  unused  to  carry 
their  arms,  was  so  extremely  severe, (*)  that  the  second 
day  the  army  marched  but  six  miles,  during  which,  says 
one  of  the  number,  "a  greater  number  of  soldiers  drop- 
ped out  of  the  ranks,  and  fell  behind  from  fatigue,  than 
I  recollect  to  have  seen  in  any  march  in  the  Peninsula 
of  thrice  its  duration."(^)  It  required  very  little  mili- 
tary knowledge  to  dispose  of  an  invading  force  of  such 
a  strength  under  such  circumstances.  To  obstruct  the 
roads  by  felling  trees  across  them,  and  breaking  down 
the  bridges ;  to  hover  round  the  flanks  and  rear  guard 
of  the  advancing  corps,  continually  harassing  them  by 
a  fire  of  musketry  and  rifles ;  a  succession  of  attacks  on 
the  advance  whenever  a  stream  was  to  be  crossed,  or 
fallen  trees  to  be  removed  or  avoided;  and  occasionally  a 


(')  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Washington,  96,  97,  The  infantry  was  the  4th,  21st,  44th, 
and  85th.— Scott,  (Rec.  of  Naval  Life,)  p.  272.  The  "  Brigade  Orders"  found  near 
the  exploded  well  at  Greenleaf 's  Point,  where  Capt.  Blanchard,  of  the  Royal  En- 
gineers, was  killed,  are  printed  in  a  pamphlet  entitled  "An  Inquiry  respecting  the 
Capture  of  Washington,  by  Spectator,"  Feb.  1816,  attributed  to  Gen.  Armstrong,  (p. 
22.)  They  confirm  the  account.  Col.  Monroe  states  that  Col.  Beall,  an  old  revo- 
lutionary officer,  who  viewed  the  column,  estimated  the  enemy's  force  at  l^etween 
4  and  5000  men. — Rep.  Inv.  Com.,  65. 

(2)  Scott  (Rec.  of  Naval  Life,  vol.  iii.  p. 
from  84  to  90  degrees." 

(3)  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Washington,  p.  102. 
without  a  wound. — Niles'  Reg.,  vol.  vi.  443. 


261)  says,  "the  thermometer  ranged 
Twelve  were  buried  at  Bladensburg 


A  SKETCH  OF  THE  EV£Ni   KTT 


15 


shell  from  a  howitzer,  would  have  ol  igcd  the  j  to  sur- 
render at  discretion. (») 

The  time  occupied  in  reaching  Washington  wa»  Alp 
days,  and  during  the  march  the  troops  halted  Ih  m 
hours  at  Nottingham,  and  eight  hours  at  Marlbo- 
rough. (')  The  retreat  occupied  more  than  four  days, 
during  the  first  of  which  there  was  a  halt  from  seven  in 
the  morning  till  noon,  rendered  imperative  by  the  state 
of  excessive  fatigue  of  the  men  from  the  march  of  the 
night  before,  in  which  they  would  have  fallen  an  easy 
conquest  to  a  small  body  of  resolute  men  acquainted 
with  the  country — but  no  one  was  at  hand  even  to 
harass  them.(^) 

We  have,  too,  the  express  acknowledgment  of  one 
who  was  an  actor  in  the  battle  of  Bladensburg,  and  a 
competent  judge,(^)  that  "had  the  Americans  been  better 
troops,  and  in  a  higher  state  of  discipline,"  the  conse- 
quence of  hurrying  the  British  into  action,  after  a  long 
and  toilsome  march,  "as  was  done,  must  have  been 
fatal." 

The  plan  of  the  President,  therefore,  it  is  abundantly 
clear,  was  well  devised,  and  would  have  been  attended 
with  perfect  success,  if  carried  into  proper  operation ; — 
two  thousand,  or  even  one  thousand  regular  troops,  en- 
camped and  instructed,  and  ten  thousand  organized 
militia  and  volunteers,  properly  equipped,  and  brought 
into  the  field  in  time  to  receive  sufficient  instruction  to 
act  in  concert  against  the  enemy,  and  held  in  readiness 

(')  Gleig  (Camp,  at  Washington,  p.  157)  admits  that  such  must  have  been  the 
result  of  such  a  mode  of  resistance. 

Q)  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Washington,  p.  151. 

(3)  Dr.  Bean,  of  Marlborough,  instigated  the  inhabitants  of  that  place  to  arms, 
and  they  killed  some  stragglers,  and  made  some  prisoners,  afterwards  rescued  by 
the  troopers  of  the  enemy,  who  returned  for  the  purpose.    Ibid.,  149. 

(<)  Gleig,  who  was  wounded. — Palmer,  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  iv.  151. 


16 


A  SKETCH  OF  THE  EVENTS,  ETC. 


i' 


I  I 


so  to  do,  would  have  been  amply  sufficient  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

It  is  now  in  order  to  review  the  course  pursued  by  the 
commanding  general,  to  whose  charge  the  10th  Military 
District  was  confided,  and  the  use  of  the  means  which 
were  furnished  to  him  a  short  time  previous  to  the 
battle.  On  the  9th  of  July,  1814,  he  addressed,  to  the 
Secretary  at  War,  a  letter,  which  is  given  entire.  The 
view  of  the  events  to  come  is  as  accurate  as  if  written 
after  the  occurrences  had  taken  place. 

Baltimore,  July  9, 1814. 

Sir  : — The  objects  of  the  command  which  has  been  conferred  on  me, 
have,  consequently,  since  I  received  it,  occupied  my  serious  consideration. 

The  utmost  regular  force  which,  it  is  probable,  can,  in  the  present 
state  of  affairs,  be  placed  at  my  command,  including  the  force  necessary 
for  garrisoning  the  several  forts,  will  not  exceed  1000  men,  and  some 
weeks  will  necessarily  elapse  before  the  detachments  from  Virginia  and 
Carlisle  will  reach  my  District :  the  detachments  of  the  36th  and  38th 
are,  therefore,  the  only  troops  that  I  can  expect  to  have  in  the  field  in 
the  meantime;  and  when  those  other  detachments  join,  the  utmost  force 
will  be  7  to  800. 

In  conversation  with  you  at  Washington,  I  understood  the  idea,  at  pre- 
sent entertained  relative  to  the  auxiliary  militia  force  proposed  for  the 
District,  to  be,  that  it  shall  be  drafted  and  designated,  but  that  no  part 
of  it  is  to  be  called  into  the  field  until  the  hostile  force,  now  in  the 
Chesapeake,  shall  be  reinforced  to  such  an  extent  as  to  render  it  probable 
that  a  serious  attack  is  contemplated. 

The  enemy's  fleet  has  now  spent  more  than  a  twelvemonth  in  the 
waters  of  the  Chesapeake  j  and  during  that  time  has  visited  almost  every 
river  falling  into  the  bay ;  and  must  be  presumed  to  have  such  accurate 
information,  that  whatever  expedition  may  be  destined  to  these  waters, 
will  have  a  definite  object,  to  the  execution  of  which,  on  its  arrival,  it 
will  proceed  with  the  utmost  promptitude  and  dispatch.  Should  Wash- 
ington, Baltimore,  or  Annapolis,  be  their  object,  what  possible  chance 
will  taere  be  of  collecting  a  force,  after  the  arrival  of  the  enemy,  to 
interpose  between  them  and  either  of  those  places?  They  can  proceed, 
without  dropping  anchor,  to  within  three  hours'  rowing  and  marching  of 


A    SKKTCH    OF   THE    KVENTS,    ETC. 


17 


Bultin.iiro;  within  Ichs  of  Annapolis;  and  upon  arriving  off  South  Kiver, 
can  (h-bark,  and  bo  in  Washington  in  a  (hiy  and  a  half.  This  celerity  of 
niovomont  on  their  part  is  not  probable,  owing  to  adverse  weather,  and 
other  causes;  })ut  if  the  enemy  has  been  aetive,  while  in  our  waters,  to 
ac'i|uirc  a  knowledge;  of  our  country,  (tf  which  ther«  can  be  no  doubt, 
and  shouhl  be  favored  with  wi'atlier  on  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  he 
can  he  in  Washington,  Baltimore,  or  Annapolis,  in  four  days  from  enter- 
ing t  lie  Capes  ]Jut  allowing  liberally  for  all  causes  of  detention,  he  can 
be  in  either  of  those  places  in  ten  days  from  his  arrival.  What  time  will 
this  allow  UH  to  hear  of  his  arrival,  to  disseminate  through  the  intricate 
and  winding  channels  the  various  orders  to  the  militia,  for  them  to 
assemble,  have  their  officers  designated,  their  arms,  aceoutrement.s,  and 
ammunition  delivered,  the  necessary  supplies  provided,  or  for  the  com- 
manding officer  to  learn  the  different  corps  and  detachments,  so  as  to 
issue  ordi'rs  with  the  promiititude  and  certainty  so  necessary  in  active 
operations?  If  the  enemy's  force  should  bo  strong,  which,  if  it  come  at 
all,  it  will  be,  sulficient  numbers  of  the  militia  could  not  be  warned  and 
run  together,  even  as  a  disorderly  crowd,  without  arms,  ammunition,  or 
organization,  before  the  enemy  woidd  already  have  given  his  blow. 

Would  it  not,  then,  be  expedient  to  increase  the  force  of  my  connnand, 
by  immediately  calling  out  a  portion  of  the  militia;  so  that,  by  previ- 
ously selecting  the  best  positions  for  defence,  and  increasing,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  natural  advantages  of  these  positions,  the  advance  of  the 
enemy  might  be  retarded,  his  force  crippled,  and  time  and  opportunity 
thus  gained  for  drawing  together  whatever  other  resources  of  defence 
might  be  competent  to  resist  the  enemy?  The  small  force  of  regulars 
will  be  incompetent  to  accomplish  any  material  works  at  favorable  posi- 
tions for  strengthening  the  defences,  and  to  supply  the  various  vidette 
parties,  which  it  will  be  necessary  to  station  on  the  prominent  points 
of  the  bay,  to  watch  the  cneni}',  and  communicate  his  movements  with 
the  greatest  possible  despatch.  Allow  me,  sir,  respectfully  to  propose 
that  4000  militia  be  called  out  without  delay :  I  propose  to  station  these 
in  equal  proportions  in  the  most  eligible  positions  between  South  River 
and  Washington,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Baltimore.  Baltimore  could  not 
be  aided  by  a  force  stationed  between  South  River  and  Washington, 
unless  a  force  were  on  the  spot  to  retard  the  advance  of  the  enemy 
until  it  could  arrive,  and  so  with  respect  to  the  force  at  Baltimore  in 
co-operating  with  that  intended  to  defend  Washington.  Each  could 
assist  the  other  if  of  this  magnitude,  and  it  appears  to  me,  that,  with 
materially  less  means  actually  in  the  field,  and  ready  for  instant  action, 


II 


\  '11 


^ 


18 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 


no  hope  can  be  entertained  of  opposing  the  enemy  in  assailing  either  of 
those  places. 

I  shall  proceed  to  Annapolis  to-morrow,  and  have  hut  little  doubt  that 
the  Executive  of  Maryland  will  cordially  co-operate  in  affording  such 
means  as  it  may  be  deemed  advisable  to  call  for,  and  I  beg  you  will 
permit  me  to  procure  this,  or  such  other  militia  force  as  the  President 
may  think  proper  immediately  to  be  called  out. 

I  sent  an  order  from  Washington  for  the  detachments  of  the  3Gth  and 
38th  to  move  up  to  the  head  of  South  River,  where  I  propose  to  meet 
them,  and  fix  upon  the  most  eligible  spot  for  the  camp  intended  to  defend 
Washington. 

You  will  please,  therefore,  to  direct  any  communications  to  me  to 
Annapolis,  which  will  enable  me  to  make  the  requisite  arrangements 
with  the  Executive  of  Maryland  at  once. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be. 

With  great  respect, 

Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  H.  WINDER, 

Brigadier  General  commanding  lOtli  Military  Dislritt. 

Hon.  John  Armstrong, 

Secretary  at  War. 


He  proceeded  to  examine  personally  the  condition  of 
the  Military  District.  On  the  12th  of  Jaly  he  was  at 
Baltimore,  the  16th  at  Marlborough,  the  17th  at  Not- 
tingham, the  22d  at  Marlborough,  the  23d  at  the  Wood- 
yard,  the  25th  at  Fort  Washington,  the  26th  at  Port 
Tobacco,  the  27th  at  Piscataway,  on  the  1st  of  August 
at  Washington,  on  the  4th  at  Tobacco,  on  the  6th  at 
Washington,  and  on  the  8th  at  Baltimore. (^) 

To  his  letter  of  the  9th  of  July  no  answer  was  re- 
turned by  the  Secretary  at  War.(')     The  plan  of  form- 


(')  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  138,  139. 

(2)  This  letter  is  not  referred  to  by  Gen.  Armstrong  in  his  statement  to  the  com- 
mittee, (Rep.,  p.  74,)  nor  in  the  "Spectator"  pamphlet,  nor  in  his  '-Notices  of  the 
War."  It  has  been  printed  by  the  Committee  of  Investifjation. — Report,  p.  98. 
The  assistant  Inspector  General  acknowledged  its  receipt,  and  its  submission  to  the 
Secretary  at  War,  but  not  a  word  is  said  about  the  object  of  it. — Appendix,  No.  9. 


h 


A   SKETCH   OP   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


n 


ing  "  a  considerable  camp,  or  rather  camps,  immediately 
to  be  formed  in  such  positions  as  would  best  enable 
them  to  succor  Washington,  Baltimore,  and  the  inter- 
mediate coasts,  from  whence  those  places  would,  if  at 
ail,  be  assailed,  and  more  particularly  that  magazines 
and  depots  of  every  necessary  article  be  commenced 
without  delay,''^  had  previously  been  urged  upon  his 
attention  by  Gen.  Winder  in  a  letter  to  him  of  the  30th 
June,  1814,  upon  receiving  information  from  him  of  the 
intention  of  the  President  to  assign  to  that  officer  the 
command  of  the  Mihtary  District  about  to  be  created. (^) 
What  the  reasons  were  which  influenced  the  Secre- 
tary at  War  to  disregard  these  views  of  a  mode  of 
defence,  it  is  impossible,  upon  his  own  authority,  to 
say,  as  he  returned  no  answer  in  which  they  were  dis- 
cussed, modified,  or  controverted,  nor  has  he,  at  any 
subsequent  period,  revealed  them.  It  would  seem,  from 
the  evidence  which  is  attainable,  that  his  own  views 
were  not  in  accordance  with  them  at  all,  if  his  for- 
bearance to  act  in  conformity  with  them,  or  carry  them 
out,  which  can  be  explained  only  by  his  having  a  de- 
cided opinion,  be  regarded  as  evidence.  As  staled  to 
himself  by  Gen.  Winder,  in  the  letter  of  the  9th  of 
July,  the  Secretary's  idea  "relative  to  the  auxiliary 
militia  force  proposed  for  the  District"  was,  "  that  it  be 
drafted  and  designated,  but  that  no  part  of  it  be  called 
into  the  field  until  the  hostile  force  now  in  the  Chesa- 
peake shall  be  reinforced  to  such  an  extent  as  to  render 

(I)  "Remarks,  &c.,  on  a  Pamphlet,  &c.,  by  Spectator,"  p.  8.  Bait.,  181G. — Ac- 
cording to  the  letter  of  Gen.  Armstrong  to  the  Committee  of  Investigation,  (Rep., 
p.  77,)  "an  order  was  taken  to  assemble  a  corps,  and  form  a  camp  at  such  point 
between  Washington  and  Baltimore  as  might  be  selected  by  the  commanding 
general,'' — of  which  the  requisition  of  the  4th  of  July,  1814,  was  the  full  exeaUion, 
See  "Spectator,"  Pamp.,  p.  8.  Tliis  order,  he  says,  (letter  of  Oct.  17,  1814,)  was 
"conformably  to  the  opinions  (therein  detailed)  given  in  Cabinet  Council,  July  1, 
1814."  The  same  view  of  the  "execution,  so  far  as  it  depended  on  the  War  De- 
partment," is  taken  in  the  Notices  of  the  War  of  1812,  vol.  ii  p.  128. 


111 


,> 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 

it  probable  that  a  serious  attack  is  contemplated;"  and 
his  letter  to  the  general  of  the  12th  July,  1S14,  inclosing 
a  copy  of  the  requisition  of  the  4th,  speaks  of  the  force 
as  that  "  of  a  body  of  militia  to  be  organized  and  equip- 
ped, and  held  in  readiness  for  future  service. C)  In 
exact  accordance  with  such  views  was  the  opinion  of 
the  Secretary,  stated  to  Gen.  Winder  previously  to  the 
9th  of  July,  as  an  objection  to  caUing  out  any  of  the 
militia,  and  forming  a  camp,  "  that  the  most  advantage- 
ous mode  of  using  militia,  was  upon  the  spur  of  the 
occasion,  and  to  bring  them  to  fight  as  soon  as  called 
out."(^)  An  additional  reason  is  to  be  found  in  the 
want  of  faith  on  the  part  of  Gen.  Armstrong  that  any 
attack  would  be  made  upon  the  Capital.  (^) 

The  General,  in  answer  to  tl  e  Secretary,  on  the  16th 
of  July,  after  giving  a  detail  of  the  defenceless  condition 
of  a  portion  of  his  District,  and  making  a  variety  of 
suggestions,  adds  that  he  fears  "it  will  be  in  vain  to 
look  for  any  efficient  aid  upon  a  sudden  call  upon  the 
militia.''^)  He  addressed  him  again  on  the  23d  of  July, 
and  after  asking  to  be  informed  whether  "only  the 
quota  of  the  District  [of  Columbia]   militia  is  to  be 


(')  The  whole  of  the  letter  is  given,  (ante,  p.  12,)  as  it  will  be  again  referred  to. 
It  is  omitted  in  the  "Communication  of  the  War  Department"  to  the  Investigating 
Committee,  though  those  of  the  2d  July  and  ISth  [l"th]  July,  1814,  are  both 
given. — (Report,  p.  98,  124.) 

(^)  Report  of  Investigating  Committee,  p.  136, 

(*)  Gen.  Van  Ness  says,  he  treated  the  idea,  repeatedly  presented  to  him,  "with 
indifference,  at  least,  if  not  with  levity." — Ibid.,  289, 292.  The  statement  of  T.  L. 
M'Kenney,  (Reply  to  K.  Armstrong's  Assault,  &c.,  p.  ."3,)  and  the  admission  o''  K. 
Armstrong,  (Review  of  T.  L.  M'Kenney "s  Narrative,  p.  G.)  confirms  Gen.  Van  Ntss' 
statement.  The  same  fact  is  stated  by  Gen.  Wilkinson,  Mem.,  vol.  i.  p.  751. — See 
the  Letter  of  S.  Pleasanton,  Esq.,  Appendix,  No.  10.  That  General  Arni.'Strong  had 
long  known  the  defenceless  state  of  the  Capital,  see  his  reply  to  a  Committee  of 
the  Senate,  (June  10,  1813,)  Am.  State  Papers,  Class  V.,  Military  Affairs,  vol.  i. 
p.  383. 

(*)  Appendix,  No.  10,  (2). 


■  »i  ^ 


A    SKETCH    OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 


21 


drafted  and  placed  at  his  disposal,  or  whether,  on  occa- 
sion, they  are  all  liable  to  requisition,"  proceeds  to  ob- 
serve to  him,  that  "  as  that  part  of  the  Pennsylvania 
militia,  rssigned  for  his  district,  are  remote,  and  could, 
not  be  called  out  upon  emergency,  might  it  not  be  ex- 
pedient to  draw  from  remotest  points,  leaving  that  por- 
tion of  the  militia  nearest  the  probable   scene,  to  be 
called  out  on  the  spur  of  the  occasion. "(')     On  the  25th 
July  he  made  known  the  wretched  state  of  Fort  Wash- 
ington,(2)  and   on  the   27th,  that  about   1500   militia, 
called  out  under  the  authority  of  the  state  laws,  and 
not  under  his  command,  w^ere  distributed  from  Cedar 
Point  to  Nottingham,  and  that  the  regulars  (330  men) 
under  his  command  were  at  Marlborough,  between  the 
enemy  and  amj posdhle  approach  to  Washington. {^)     To 
few  of  these  suggestions  and  calls  did  the  War  Depart- 
ment return  any  answer  or  orders,  and  those  of  the 
shortest  and  most  unsatisfactory  kind.(^)     It  seemed  as 
if  the  paper  requisition — about  as  effectual  as  a  paper 
blockade — was  all  that  that  branch  of  the  Government 
deemed  it  essential  to  furnish  for  the  defence  of  the 
Capital.     TI  e  additional  mortification  of  knowing  that 
there  were  means  of  defence  within  reach,  not  furnished 
to  him,  was  also  endured  by  the  commanding  general. 
On  the  4th  of  August  he  was  informed  by  the  War 
Department,   that  Captain   Nicholas,  a  very   efficient 
officer,  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  Fort  Wash- 

{')  Appendix,  No.  11. 

(2)  Ajipendix,  No.  12.  One  of  the  complaints  was,  "  that  for  the  water  battery, 
five  excellent  18  pounders,  there  was  not  a  pound  of  ammunition."  The  Secre- 
tary at  War  stated  to  a  Committee  of  the  Senate,  on  the  12th  July,  1813,  that  this 
fort  and  its  covering  work  "had  recently  been  put  into  a  state  of  complete  repair, 
are  well  furnished  with  heavy  cannon,  furnaces,  &c.,  and  are  now  occupied  by  a 
competent  garrison." — See  his  Letter,  Appendix,  No.  19. 

(3)  Appendix,  No.  13. 

(*)  To  those  of  25th  and  27th  July,  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  p.  125. 


^ 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 

ington,  and  the  command  given  to  another,  (0  afterwards 
cashiered  for  misbehavior  before  the  expected  enemy  in 
that  very  post,  vf  hich  he  shamefully  abandoned  ;(^)  and 
that  the  object  in  so  relieving  him  was,  that  he  might 
go  to  Philadelphia  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  com- 
pany of  recruits  immediately,  intended  for  the  fron- 
tier.(^)  On  the  same  day  a  letter  was  written  to  him 
from  New  York,  by  Captain  M'Keon,(^)  who  desired  to 
serve  under  him  with  a  company  of  artillery  from  the 
forces  in  New  York  harbor,  where  400  artillerists  were 
assembled,  a  part  of  whom  could  safely  have  been  drafted 
for  other  services,  as  the  militia  of  the  State,  ordered  to 
be  drafted  for  service,  would  supply  their  place;  and  the 
same  remark  applies  to  Captain  Nicholas's  company. 
Certainly  the  measure  of  taking  200  regulars  from  New 
York,  and  100  from  Philadelphia,  would  have  added 
essentially  to  the  means  of  safety,  if  ordered  at  once  to 
Washington.  As  it  had  become  evident  that  no  force 
could  be  expected  from  distant  points,  the  Secretary  at 
War  found  it  necessary  to  consider  the  militia  of  Balti- 
more, called  out  under  a  State  requisition  of  the  24th  of 
April,  1814,  as  part  of  the  quota  of  6000  men  to  be  fur- 
nished under  the  requisition  of  July  4th,  1814,  made  by 
the  United  States.  He  gave  no  notice  of  this  arrange- 
ment to  General  Winder,  whose  letter  to  him  of  the 
13th  of  August,  shows  the  actual  state  of  destitution  in 
which  the  arrangements  of  the  War  Department  had 
left  him;(*)  and  authority  to  take  these  forces,  was  re- 
ceived by  letter  from  the  Secretary,  dated  at  Washing- 
ton, August  16,  1814,  and  delivered  the  next  day.  On 
Friday,  the  18th  of  August,  it  was  known  at  Washing- 


'(')  Appendix,  No.  14. 
(3)  Appendix,  No.  15. 
(')  Appendix,  No.  17. 


(2)  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  328. 
(*)  Appendix,  No.  IG. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


23 


ton,  that  the  enemy  was  coming  up  the  Bay  in  force ; 
and  the  next  day  there  was  information  of  the  deter- 
mination on  the  part  of  the  Admiral,  "to  dine  in  Wash- 
ington on  Sunday,  after  destroying  the  flotilla.(')" 

At  this  juncture  the  regular  force  stated,  and  relied 
upon,  by  the  Secretary  at  War,  at  the  Cabinet  Council, 
amounting  to  about  1000  men,  was  found  to  consist  of 
330  men  of  the  36th  and  38th  regiments  of  infantry, 
and  two  troops  of  cavalry — 125  men — under  Lieut.  Col. 
Laval. (^)  One  company  of  the  12th  infantry,  consisting 
of  80  men,  shortly  after  arrived  at  Washington. (^) 

The  call  of  the  War  Department  for  the  militia  from 
General  Samuel  Smith's  division  of  the  militia  of  Mary- 
land, put  in  motion  the  quota  from  the  brigade  of  General 
Stansbury,  who  marched  on  the  20th  of  August  from 
Baltimore,  with  1353  men.('')  This  force  halted  at  the 
Stag  Tavern  on  the  evening  of  the  21st,  and  on  the  22d 
advanced  towards  Bladensburg,  near  which  place  they 
encamped,  and  on  the  23d  commenced  moving  towards 
Marlborough,  the  orders  of  Gen.  Winder  being,  to  take 
a  position  on  the  road  not  far  from  that  place.  On  the 
evening  of  the  23d,  Lieut.  Col.  Sterret's  command,  con- 
sisting of  the  5th  Baltimore  regiment  of  volunteers. 
Major  Pinkney's(^)  rifle  battalion,  and  two  companies 

(')  Com.  Barney's  Letter,  Appendix,  No.  18. 

(2)  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  I'M.  The  "two  troops  of  dragoons"  arrived  on  the  20th 
of  August,  raw  recruits,  just  mounted,  and  utterly  inefficient,  (Laval's  Statement, 
Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  p.  230,  238.)  and  the  "  two  companies'"  of  the  lOtli  regiment  did 
not  arrive  at  all.  A  "company  of  the  12th"  reached  Washington  on  the  22d  of 
August,  and  joined  General  Winder  in  the  evening — raw  recruits,  who  received 
arms, &c.,  on  their  arrival.  The  garrison  of  Fort  MHenry  was  composed,  in  part, 
of  the  "two  companies — 1G7  elfectives — of  Sea  Fencibles,"  who  could  not  be 
spared  from  it.  (Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  p.  58,  Div.  Orders,  15th  Sept.,  1814.)  Com- 
pare the  account  with  the  statement  made  by  the  Secretary  at  War,  July  12,  1813, 
of  the  force  "in  readiness  for  the  defence  of  Washington." — Appendix,  No.  19. 

(3)  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  p.  14C.  ('')  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  175. 
(6)  Minister  to  London. 


i»l 


{i.f'l 


24 


A   SKETCH   OP   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


(Myers'  and  Magruder's)  of  artillery,  in  all  about  800 
men,  joined  General  Stansbury.(')  The  fatigued  state 
of  Sterret's  command  induced  General  Stansbury  to 
halt  and  remain  during  the  night  on  the  hill  near  Bla- 
densburg.  A  false  alarm,  by  which  the  command  was 
roused,  and  kept  under  arms  until  after  two  o'clock  in 
the  morning  of  the  24th,  together  with  other  circum- 
stances, added  to  the  exhaustion  and  distress  of  the 
troops. (^)  After  making  a  movement  towards  Wash- 
ington, General  Stansbury's  force  was  ordered  by  Gene- 
ral Winder  to  return  to  Bladensburg,  where  they  took 
post  in  the  orchard  near  the  mill;  the  artillery,  consist- 
ing of  six  guns,  being  behind  a  small  breastwork  of 
earth,  commanding  the  pass  into  the  town,  and  the 
bridge  southwest  of  it,  which  was  also  commanded  by 
Pinkney's  riflemen. 

In  the  meantime  it  was  ascertained  by  General  Win- 
der, that  the  enemy  was  proceeding  towards  Washing- 
ton by  the  Bladensburg  Road,(^)  instead  of  moving  on 
Annapolis,  or  Fort  Washington,  as  his  course  for  a 
time  threatened,  and  he  passed  into  the  City  of  Wash- 
ington that  night  over  the  bridge  at  the  Eastern  Branch. 
He  had  with  him  Commodore  Barney,  w^ho  joined  him 
at  the  Old  Fields,  with  the  flotilla  men  and  marines, 
amounting  to  about  500  men,  Laval's  dragoons,  125  in 
number,  some  volunteer  cavalry,  260  strong,  the  36th 
and  38th  regiments  of  TJ.  S.  infantry,  330  men,  the 
militia  under  Col.  Hood,  (6  or  700,)  and  the  brigade  of 
militia  of  the  District,   1070  men,^)  commanded  by 

(')  Sterret's  Report,  Rep.  In  v.  Comm.,  p.  227. 

(^)  The  provisions  issued  to  them  consisted  of  salt  beef  of  an  inferior  quality, 
and  old  and  musty  flour, — (Stansbury's  Report,  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  p.  179.) 

(3)  The  object  of  the  enemy  in  turning  towards  Annapolis,  was  to  keep  the 
Americans  in  the  dark  as  to  his  plan  of  operations. — Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  p.  112. 

(*)  General  Smith  complained  of  great  deficiency  of  camp  equipage,  the  public 


.  f 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 


26 


t  800 
state 

ry  to 
Bla- 

d  was 

>ck  in 


Win- 


General  W.  Smith.  These  various  bodies  amounted  in 
numbers  to  about  5100,  "a  mass  suddenly  assembled, 
without  organization  or  discipline,"(^)  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Commodore  Barney  and  Major  Peters,  with- 
out any  "officers  with  the  least  knowledge  of  service," 
and  wearied  and  exhausted  by  sudden  exertion,  and  toil- 
some marches,  in  very  hot  weather.  Col.  Minor's  force 
of  600  is  not  included  in  this  estimate,  as  they  were  not 
on  the  battle-ground,  having  been  detained  from  taking 
part  in  the  action,  by  the  neghgent,  frivolous,  and  dila- 
tory course  pursued  by  the  Secretary  at  War,  and  the 
persons  of  his  department  whose  duty  it  was  to  furnish 
them  with  arms  and  ammunition. (^) 

With  5000  men,  assembled  in  time  to  organize  them, 
and  allow  their  officers  to  become  acquainted  with  each 
other,  and  with  his  plan  of  operations,  a  general,  ac- 
quainted as  General  Winder  was,  with  the  country 
through  which  his  enemy  had  to  penetrate,  would  un- 
doubtedly have  given  a  good  account  of  him;  but  to 
oppose  in  pitched  battle  the  undisciplined  valor  and  ex- 
ertions of  the  same  men  to  that  of  an  equal  number  of 
regular,  veteran  troops,  could  only  be  justified  by  abso- 
lute necessity — a  necessity  which  existed  on  the  24th  of 
August,  1814,  the  result  of  an  improvident  disregard  on 
the  part  of  the  Secretary  at  War,  of  continual  warning 
against  coming  evil,  which  he  had  the  means  of  resist- 


stores  being  exhausted,  and  many  of  his  troops  compelled  thereby  to  sleep  in  the 
open  field;  of  flints,  200  only  could  be  obtained  upon  a  requisition  for  1000;  the 
deficiency  was  supplied  from  private  sources.' — Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  202. 

(I)  The  flotilla  men  and  marines  should  be  excepted. 

(f)  One  very  young  man,  who  had  charge  of  the  armory,  counted  over  again  the 
flints  after  they  had  been  counted  by  Col.  Minor's  ofl^icers,  and  so  cautiously  dealt 
out  the  stores,  that  the  regiment  was  unable  to  get  to  the  field  in  time. — See  Col. 
Minor's  Statement,  Rep.  Inv.  Comm.,  232. 


26 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


I 


inor  and  subduing,  with  honor  to  his  country  and  credit 
to  himself,  but  did  not  call  them  forth  in  time. 

The  best  British  account  of  the  engagement,  which 
took  place(')  about  noon,  by  an  eyewitness,  to  whose 
relation  of  many  particulars  connected  with  the  present 
inquiry,  we  have  often  had  recourse,  will  render  the 
position  of  the  respective  forces,  and  the  action,  very 
intelligible.  (^) 

"  The  hour  of  noon  was  approaching,  when  a  heavy  cloud  of  dust,  ap- 
parently not  more  than  two  or  three  miles  distant,  attracted  our  attention. 
From  whence  it  originated  there  was  little  difficulty  in  guessing,  nor  did 
many  minutes  expire  before  surmise  was  changed  into  certainty;  for  on 
turning  a  sudden  angle  in  the  road,  and  passing  a  small  plantation,  which 
obstructed  the  vision  towards  the  left,  the  British  and  American  armies 
became  visible  to  one  another.  The  position  occupied  by  the  latter  was 
one  of  great  strength,  and  commanding  attitude.  They  were  drawn  up 
in  three  lines  upon  the  brow  of  a  hill,  having  their  front  and  left  flank 
covered  by  a  branch  of  the  Potomac,  and  their  right  resting  upon  a  thick 
wood  and  a  deep  ravine.  This  river,  which  may  be  about  the  breadth  of 
the  Isis  at  Oxford,  flowed  between  the  heights  occupied  by  the  American 
forces,  and  the  little  town  of  Bladensburg.  Across  it  was  throwu  a  nar- 
row bridge,  extending  from  the  chief  street  in  that  town  to  the  continuation 
of  the  road,  which  passed  through  the  very  centre  of  their  position ;  and 
its  right  bank  (the  bank  above  which  they  were  drawn  up)  was  covered 
with  a  narrow  stripe  of  willows  and  larch  trees,  whilst  the  left  was  alto- 
gether bare,  low,  and  exposed.  Such  was  the  general  aspect  of  their 
position  as  at  the  first  glance  it  presented  itself;  of  which  I  must  endeavor 
to  give  a  more  detailed  account,  that  my  description  of  the  battle  may  be 
in  some  degree  intelligible. 

"  I  have  said  that  the  right  bank  of  the  Potomac  was  covered  with  a 
narrow  stripe  of  willow  and  larch  trees.  Here  the  Americans  had  stationed 
strong  bodies  of  riflemen,  who,  in  skirmishing  order,  covered  the  whole 
front  of  their  army.     Behind  this  narrow  plantation,  again,  the  fields 

(')  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  119.     He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  85th  regiment. 

(^)  The  abuse,  vituperation,  and  ridicule  (in  prose  and  verse)  with  which  the 
adminisiration  was  attacked  by  its  opponents,  and  by  persons  devoted  to  the 
enemy  and  opposed  to  the  war,  have  never  been  equalled  in  the  history  of  the 
countrv. 


A    SKETCH    OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


87 


were  open  and  clear,  intersected,  at  certain  distances,  by  rows  of  high  and 
strong  palings.  About  the  middle  of  the  ascent,  and  in  the  rear  of  one 
of  these  rows,  stood  the  first  line,  composed  entirely  of  infantry ;  at  a  pro- 
per interval  from  this,  and  in  a  similar  situation,  stood  the  second  line; 
while  the  third,  or  reserve,  was  posted  within  the  skirts  of  a  wood,  which 
crowned  the  heights.  The  artillery,  again,  of  which  they  had  twenty 
pieces  in  the  field,  was  thus  arranged :  on  the  high  road,  and  commanding 
the  bridge,  stood  two  heavy  guns;  and  four  more,  two  on  each  side  of  the 
road,  swept  partly  in  the  same  direction,  and  partly  down  the  whole  of 
the  slope  into  the  streets  of  Bladensburg.  The  rest  were  scattered,  with 
no  great  judgment,  along  the  second  line  of  infantry,  occupying  different 
spaces  between  the  right  of  one  regiment,  and  the  left  of  another;  while 
the  cavalry  showed  itself  in  one  mass,  within  a  stubble  field,  near  the 
extreme  left  of  the  position.  Such  was  the  nature  of  the  ground  which 
they  occupied,  and  the  formidable  posture  in  which  they  waited  our  ap- 
proach; amounting,  hy  their  oivn  account, Q^  to  nine  thousand  men,  a 
number  exactly  doubling  that  of  the  force  which  was  to  attack  them. 

"In  the  mean  time,  our  column  continued  to  advance  in  the  same  order 
which  it  had  hitherto  preserved.  The  road  conducted  us  for  about  two 
miles  in  a  direction  parallel  with  the  river,  and  of  consequence  with  the 
enemy's  line;  when  it  suddenly  turned,  and  led  directly  towards  the  town 
of  Bladensburg.  Being  of  course  ignorant  whether  this  town  might  not 
be  filled  with  American  troops,  the  main  body  paused  here,  till  the  ad- 
vanced guard  should  reconnoitre.  The  result  proved  that  no  opposition 
was  intended  in  that  quarter,  and  that  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  army  had 
been  withdrawn  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  whereupon  the  array 
was  again  put  in  motion,  and  in  a  short  time  arrived  in  the  streets  of 
Blad^jnsburg,  and  within  range  of  the  American  artillery.  Immediately 
on  our  reaching  this  point,  several  of  their  guns  opened  upon  us,  and 
kept  up  a  quick  and  well  directed  cannonade,  from  which,  as  we  were 
again  commanded  to  halt,  the  men  were  directed  to  shelter  themselves  as 
much  as  possible  behind  the  houses.  The  object  of  this  halt,  it  was  con- 
jectured, was  to  give  the  General  an  opportunity  of  examining  the  Ameri- 
can line,  and  of  trying  the  depth  of  the  river;  because  at  present  there 
appeared  to  be  but  one  practicable  mode  of  attack,  by  crossing  the  bridge, 
and  taking  the  enemy  directly  in  front.  To  do  so,  however,  exposed  as 
the  bridge  was,  must  be  attended  with  bloody  consequences,  nor  could 
the  delay  of  a  few  minutes  produce  any  mischief  which  the  discovery  of  a 
ford  would  not  amply  compensate. 

"But  in  this  conjecture  we  were  altogether  mistaken;  for  without  al- 

(')   Information  derived  from  negroes. 


If 


M 


I 


A  <»KETCH    OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


lowing  time  to  the  column  to  close  its  ranks  or  to  be  formed  by  some  of 
the  many  stragglers,  who  were  now  hurrying,  as  fast  as  weariness  would 
permit,  to  regain  their  places,  the  order  to  halt  was  countermanded,  and 
the  word  given  to  attack ;  and  we  immediately  pushed  on  at  double  quick 
time,  towards  the  head  of  the  bridge.  While  we  were  moving  along  the 
street,  a  continued  fire  was  kept  up,  with  some  execution,  from  those  guns 
which  stood  to  the  left  of  the  road ;  but  it  was  not  till  the  bridge  was 
covered  with  our  people  that  the  two-gun  battery  upon  the  road  itself 
began  to  play.  Then,  indeed,  it  also  opened,  and  with  tremendous  effect; 
for  at  the  first  discharge  almost  an  entire  company  was  swept  down;  but 
whether  it  was  that  the  guns  had  been  previously  laid  with  measured 
exactness,  or  that  the  nerves  of  the  gunners  became  afterwards  unsteady, 
the  succeeding  discharges  were  much  less  fatal.  The  riflemen  likewise 
now  galled  us  from  the  wooded  bank,  with  a  running  fire  of  musketry ; 
and  it  was  not  without  trampling  upon  many  of  their  dead  and  dying 
comrades,  that  the  light  brigade  established  itself  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  stream. 

"When  once  there,  however,  everything  else  appeared  easy.  Wheel- 
ing off  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  road,  they  dashed  into  the  thicket,  and 
quickly  cleared  it  of  the  American  skirmishers;  who  falling  back  with 
precipitation  upon  the  first  line,  threw  it  into  disorder  before  it  had  fired 
a  shot.  The  consequence  was,  that  our  troops  had  scarcely  shoAvii  them- 
selves when  the  whole  of  that  line  gave  way,  and  fled  in  the  greatest  con- 
fusion, leaving  the  two  guns  upon  the  road  in  possession  of  the  victors. 

"  ]3ut  here  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  light  brigade  was  guilty  of 
imprudence.  Instead  of  pausing  till  the  rest  of  the  army  came  up,  they 
lightened  themselves  by  throwing  away  their  knapsacks  and  haversacks; 
and  extending  their  ranks  so  as  to  show  an  equal  front  with  the  enemy, 
pushed  on  to  the  attack  of  the  second  line.  The  Americans,  however,  saw 
their  weakness,  and  stood  firm,  and  having  the  whole  of  their  artillery, 
with  the  exception  of  those  captured  on  the  road,  and  the  greater  part  of 
their  infantry  in  this  line,  they  first  checked  the  ardor  of  the  assailants 
by  a  heavy  fire,  and  then  in  their  turn,  advanced  to  recover  the  ground 
which  was  lost.(*)  Against  this  charge,  the  extended  order  of  the  British 
troops  would  not  permit  them  to  offer  an  effectual  resistance,  and  they 
were  accordingly  borne  back  to  the  very  thicket  upon  the  river's  brink; 
where  they  maintained  themselves  with  determined  obstinacy,  repelling 
all  attempts  to  drive  them  through  it;  and  frequently  following,  to  within 
a  short  distance  of  the  cannon's  mouth,  such  parts  of  the  enemy's  line 
as  gave  way. 

(')  General  Winder  at  the  head  of  the  fjth  regiment. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


29 


"In  this  state  the  action  continixcd  till  the  second  brigade  had  likewise 
crossed,  and  formed  upon  the  right  bank  of  the  river  j  whon  the  44th 
regiment  moving  to  the  right,  and  driving  in  the  skirmi.shers,  debouched 
upon  the  left  flank  of  the  Americans,  and  completely  turned  it.  In  that 
quarter,  therefore,  the  battle  was  won;  because  the  raw  militia-men,  who 
were  stationed  there  as  being  the  least  assailable  point,  when  once  broken 
could  not  be  rallied.  Uut  on  their  right,  the  enemy  still  kept  their  ground 
with  much  resolution;  nor  was  it  till  tiie  arrival  of  the  4th  regiment,  and 
the  advance  of  the  British  forces  in  firm  array,  to  the  charge,  that  they 
began  to  waver.  Then,  indeed,  seeing  their  left  in  full  flight,  and  the 
44th  getting  in  their  rear,  they  lost  all  order,  and  dispersed,  leaving 
clouds  of  riflemen  to  cover  their  retreat;  and  hastened  to  conceal  them- 
selves in  the  woods,  where  it  would  have  been  vain  to  follow  them.  The 
rout  was  now  general  throughout  the  whole  line.  The  reserve,  which 
ought  to  have  supported  the  main  body,  fled  as  soon  as  those  in  its  front 
began  to  give  way;  and  the  cavalry,  instead  of  charging  the  British  troops, 
now  scattered  in  pursuit,  turned  their  horses'  heads  and  galloped  off",  leav- 
ing them  in  undisputed  possession  of  the  field,  and  of  ten  out  of  the 
twenty  pieces  of  artillery. 

"This  battle,  by  which  the  fate  of  the  American  capital  was  decided, 
began  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  lasted  till  four.  The  loss 
on  the  part  of  the  English  was  severe,  since,  out  of  two-thirds  of  the 
army,  which  were  engaged,  upwards  of  five  hundred  men  were  killed  and 
wounded ;  and  what  rendered  it  doubly  severe  was,  that  among  these  were 
numbered  several  officers  of  rank  and  distinction.  Colonel  Thornton  who 
commanded  the  light  brigade;  Lieutenant-Colonel  "Wood  commanding  the 
85th  regiment,  and  Major  Brown  who  had  led  the  advanced  guard,  were 
all  severely  wounded ;  and  General  Boss  himself  had  a  horse  shot  under 
hira.  On  the  side  of  the  Americans  the  slaughter  was  not  so  great.  Being 
in  possession  of  a  strong  position,  they  were  of  course  less  exposed  in  de- 
fending, than  the  others  in  storming  it ;  and  had  they  conducted  them- 
selves with  coolness,  and  resolution,  it  is  not  conceivable  how  the  day 
could  have  been  won.  But  the  fact  is,  that,  with  the  exception  of  a  party 
of  sailors  from  the  gun  boats,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Barney, 
no  troops  could  behave  worse  than  they  did.  The  skirmishers  were  driven 
in  as  soon  as  attacked,  the  first  line  gave  way  without  offering  the  slight- 
est resistance,  and  the  left  of  the  main  body  was  broken  within  half  an 
hour  after  it  was  seriously  engaged.  Of  the  sailors,  however,  it  would  be 
injustice  not  to  speak  in  the  terms  which  their  conduct  merits.  They 
were  employed  as  gunners,  and  not  only  did  they  serve  their  guns  with  a 


mil 


80 


A    SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


(|uickncss  and  precision  which  astonished  their  assaihintn,  but  thoy  stood 
till  sonic  of  them  were  actually  bayoneted,  with  fuses  in  their  hands;  nor 
was  it  till  their  leader  was  wounded  and  taken,  ami  they  saw  theinselves 
deserted  on  all  sides  by  the  soldiers,  that  they  quitted  the  field.  With 
respect  to  the  British  army,  again,  no  lino  of  distinction  can  be  drawn. 
All  did  their  duty,  and  none  more  gallantly  than  the  rest;  and  though 
the  brunt  of  the  affair  fell  upon  the  light  brigade,  this  was  owing  chiefly 
to  the  circumstance  of  its  being  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  perhaps, 
also,  in  some  degree,  to  its  own  rash  impetuosity.  The  artillery,  indeed, 
could  do  little;  being  unable  to  show  itself  in  presence  of  a  force  so 
superior;  but  the  six-pounder  was  nevertheless  brought  into  action,  and  a 
corps  of  rockets  proved  of  striking  utility. 

"  Our  troops  being  worn  down  from  fatigue,  and  of  course  as  ignorant 
of  the  country,  as  the  Americans  were  the  reverse,  the  pursuit  could  not 
be  continued  to  any  distance.  Neither  was  it  attended  with  much  slaugh- 
ter. Diving  into  the  recesses  of  the  forests,  and  covering  themselves  with 
riflemen,  the  enemy  were  quickly  beyond  our  reach;  and  having  no  cavalry 
to  scour  even  the  high  road,  ten  of  the  lightest  of  their  guns  were  carried 
off  in  the  flight.  The  defeat,  however,  was  absolute,  and  the  army,  which 
had  been  collected  for  the  defence  of  Washington,  was  scattered  beyond 
the  possibility  of,  at  least,  an  immediate  reunion;  and  as  the  distance  from 
Bladensburg  to  that  city  does  not  exceed  four  miles,  there  appeared  to  be 
no  further  obstacle  in  the  way,  to  prevent  its  immediate  capture." 

It  should  be  remembered,  that  the  formation  of  the 
American  lines  was  scarcely  completed  when  the  enemy 
appeared.  Colonel  Beale,  who  was  on  the  right,  had 
just  arrived  with  his  regiment  of  Maryland  mihtia,(') 
and  taken  post  on  a  high  ground,  near  the  battery  of 
Commodore  Barney,  which  had  been  posted  so  as  to  com- 
mand the  bridge  and  the  road  by  which  the  eilemy  ap- 
proached.(^)  To  Barney's  right  extended  the  flotilla  men 
and  marines  under  Captain  Miller,  and  on  his  left  was 
Colonel  Magruder's  regiment  (the  1st)  of  District  militia; 
Lieut.-Col.  Scott  with  the  United  States  infantry,  com- 

(')  Tlipy  bad  marched  IG  miles  that  morning,  and  were  taken  into  battle  fatigued 
and  exhausted. 

(2)  Rep.  Iiiv.  Com.,  2\X 


A    SKKTCn    OF    THK    EVENTS,    ETC. 


91 


posed  of  portions  of  the  3Gth,  38th,  and  12th  rcfrimcnts, 
was  in  front  of  Magruder  about  one  hundred  yards, 
but  his  position  was  afterwards  chan<^ed,  because  in  the 
way  of  the  ^uns  of  Major  Peters's  battery,  and  the  men 
fell  back  and  formed  in  line  with  Ma^ruder's  regiment. 
Peters's  battery,  (six  six-pounders,)  Davidson's  light 
infantry  and  Stull's  rifle  corps(')  were  thus  in  advance, 
and  Colonel  Cramer  was  posted  still  further  in  advance, 
in  the  woods  on  the  right  of  the  road,  with  his  battalion 
of  Maryland  militia.  The  troops  under  Stansbury(2) 
were  to  the  west  of  Bladensburg,  in  an  orchard,  and  on 
the  left  of  the  road  to  Washington,  and  formed,  together 
with  Beal's  command,  the  first  line;  their  artillery  was 
behind  a  small  breastwork  in  front,  and  the  infantry  in 
the  rear  and  to  the  left,  to  protect  the  position;  the  other 
corps  which  we  have  mentioned  formed  the  second 
line.(^)  The  enemy  first  approached  Stansbury's  line, 
about  half-past  12  o'clock,  and  their  light  troops  were 
dispersed  by  the  fire  of  the  Baltimore  artillery,  and 
taking  shelter  behind  the  houses  of  the  villajre  and 
trees,  began  to  concentrate  towards  the  bridge,  and 
press  across  it  and  the  river.  Pinkney's  riflemen  now 
opened  a  very  brisk  fire  upon  them,  which,  added  to  the 
artillery,  occasioned  them  a  severe  loss  of  men.  They 
passed  the  bridge,  however,  and  having  deployed  into 
line,  advanced  on  the  artillery  and  riflemen,  and  com- 
pelled them  to  retreat,  and  join  the  troops  of  the  first 

(')  jlrmed  vnih  muskets.  The  conduct  of  Captain  StuU  and  his  company  on  a 
subsequent  occasion  is  highly  commended  by  Commodore  Perry.  Letter  of  Sept. 
9th,  1814.— Palmer's  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  iv.  p.  172  of  Hist.  Doc. 

(2)  They  consisted  of  the  1st  Baltimore  regiment  of  militia,  Lieut.-Col.  Ragtm, 
the  2d  Baltimore  regiment,  Licut.-Col.  Schutz,  the  5tli  Baltimore  regiment,  (volun. 
teers,)  Lieut.-Col.  Sterrett,  Pinkney's  rifle  battalion,  and  Myers's  and  Magruder'» 
Companies  of  Artillery. 

(3)  The  enemy  deemed  the  arrangement  and  position  described  to  be  a  "formi- 
dable posture."' — Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  120. 


It 


A. 


32 


A   SKETCH   OF    THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


n 


i 


>. 


line.  Their  advance  was  annoyed  by  Captain  B arch's 
company  of  volunteer  artillery,  belonging  to  the  city, 
and  a  small  detachment  near  it,  who  opened  a  sharp 
cross-fire  upon  them.  General  Winder,  who  was  on 
the  left  of  the  5th  regiment,  ordered  it  to  advance  and 
sustain  the  artillery,  which  it  did  with  great  prompt- 
ness, and  opened  a  steady  well-directed  fire  on  the 
enemy,  in  which  it  was  followed  by  Ragan's  and 
Schutz's  regiments  forming  the  right  and  centre  of  the 
line.  Some  rockets  thrown  by  the  enemy,  which  passed 
very  close  over  the  heads  of  Ragan's  and  Schutz's 
regiments,  created  a  panic  in  these  raw  troops,  in  action 
for  the  first  time,  and  they  broke.  Their  officers  ex- 
erted themselves  to  rally  them,  in  which  they  were 
aided  by  General  Winder,  who  displayed  great  zeal, 
activity,  and  personal  bravery;  but  their  efforts  were 
ineffectual,  and  both  regiments  were  broken  and  dis- 
persed, leaving  the  5th  regiment  with  its  flanks  ex- 
posed. This  regiment,  however,  kept  its  place  in  line 
firmly,  covered  the  retreat  of  Ragan's  and  Schutz's  by 
a  smart  fire,  and  did  not  retreat  till  ordered  by  General 
Winder  to  do  so,  after  the  enemy  had  gained  both  its 
flanks.  The  first  line  having  been  dispersed,  the  left 
of  the  enemy's  force  advanced  on  the  second  line.  Pass- 
ing along  the  road  in  heavy  column,  they  were  encoun- 
tered by  the  corps  of  militia  under  Colonel  Cramer, 
whom  they  drove  back  after  a  short  and  sharp  conflict, 
and  who  formed  upon  Beal's  command,  and  their  column 
displayed  in  the  field  on  the  right  of  the  road,  and  became 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  Peters's  battery,  which  galled,  but 
did  not  check  their  progress.  The  onward  movement 
of  the  enemy  brought  them  in  front  of  Barney's  posi- 
tion, where,  for  a  moment,  they  made  a  halt ;  and  then 


A    SKETCH    OF   THE   EVENTS,    ETC. 


33 


pushed  forward  upon  him,  but  received  such  a  destruc- 
tive discharge  from  an  eighteen  pounder,  that  the  road 
was  completely  cleared  of  them ;  and  a  second  and  third 
attempt  to  advance  was  repulsed  in  the  same  effectual 
manner.  To  avoid  the  battery,  the  enemy  turned  to 
the  left  into  a  field,  with  the  view  to  turn  the  right  flank 
of  the  position,  but  the  movement  was  promptly  met  by 
the  marines  under  Captains  Miller  and  Sevier,  and  the 
flotilla  men  acting  as  infantry,  who  charged  them  with 
such  vigor  that  they  broke  the  85th  and  the  4th,  or 
"King's  Own,"  and  pursued  them  until  they  got  into  a 
ravine,  leaving  their  officers,  Major  Brown,  Lieut.-Col. 
Wood,  and  Colonel  Thornton,  all  severely  wounded,  in 
possession  of  the  Americans.  General  Ross  had  ahorse 
shot  under  him.(^)  The  dispersion  of  Stansbury's  troops 
left  the  ground  on  the  left  of  the  flotilla  force  unde- 
fended; and  the  enemy,  having  pushed  a  body  of  two  or 
three  hundred  men  against  the  militia  under  Beale,  who 
were  posted  in  a  strong  position  on  the  right  of  Barney, 
dispersed  them,  and  the  British  light  troops  gained  both 
his  flanks,  and  the  Commodore  himself  was  wounded 
severely,  and  also  some  of  his  best  officers.  The  drivers, 
too,  of  his  ammunition  wagons,  had  gone  oflf  with  them, 
in  the  confusion  of  the  retreat  of  the  militia ;  and,  de- 
prived of  their  ammunition,  the  power  to  resist  any 
longer  ceased,  and  the  flotilla  men  and  marines  effected 
their  retreat  in  good  order ;  but  the  Commodore's  wound 
rendered  him  unable  to  move,  and  he  was  made  pri- 
soner. The  behaviour  of  the  flotilla  men  and  marines 
excited  the  highest  admiration  on  the  part  of  the  enemy. 
The  writer  to  whose  account  we  have  often  referred,  and 
who  was  an  eye-witness  of  the  scene,  says: — "Of  the 


6 


(I)  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  125. 


•t 


34 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


'V. 

,1 ' 


sailors,  however,  it  would  be  injustice  not  to  speak  in 
the  highest  terms  which  their  conduct  merits;  they 
were  employed  as  gunners;  and  not  only  did  they  serve 
their  guns  with  a  quickness  and  precision  which  aston- 
ished their  assailants,  but  they  stood  till  some  of  them  were 
actually  bayoneted,  with  fuses  in  their  hands,  nor  was  it 
until  their  leader  was  wounded  and  taken,  and  they  saw 
themselves  deserted  on  all  sides  by  the  soldiers,  that  they 
quitted  the  field." (') 

The  British  account  of  the  battle  mentions  "  a  body 
of  cavalry  which  showed  itself  in  one  mass,  within  a 
stubble  field,  near  the  extreme  left  of  the  position." 
They  consisted  of  260  volunteer  dragoons,  under  the 
command  of  Lieut.-Col.  Tilghman,  and  125  United 
States  dragoons,  under  Lieut.-Col.  Laval,  all  raw  re- 
cruits. They  did  not  "  charge  the  British  troops  when 
scattered  in  pursuit"  of  the  Americans,  but  "turned 
their  horses'  heads,  and  galloped  oflf."(^)  The  truth  is, 
that  these  troops  were  so  raw,  and  of  course  inefficient, 
that  the  horses  and  men  could  not  be  brought  to  the 
charge.  (^) 


(')  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  127,  128.  But  for  the  delay.  Col.  Minor's  regiment 
might  have  been  in  time  upon  the  ground,  and  have  prevented  the  turning  of  Bar- 
ney's flaniis.  It  was  the  Commodore's  opinion,  that  he  could  have  held  out  against 
the  British  army  if  this  strong  fresh  regiment  had  been  with  him  in  time. — Col. 
Minor's  Letter,  Appendix,  No.  20.  The  account  of  the  battle  has  been  drav.'n  up 
from  the  reports  of  the  officers  engaged  in  it,  and  others — made  to  the  Investigating 
Committee,  Palmer's  Hist.  Register,  Niles's  Register,  and  the  newspapers  at  Wash- 
ington and  Baltimore,  published  about  the  time.  The  loss  of  the  British,  according 
to  Gleig,  was  upwards  of  500  men  killed  and  wounded,  but  this  account  docs  not 
include  those  blown  up  at  the  Navy  Yard,  nor  the  desertions,  which,  according  to  a 
cotemporary  writer  in  the  Baltimore  Federal  Gazette,  must  have  swelled  the  actual 
loss  to  1100  men. 

(2)  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  124.  The  British  writers  do  not  mention  the  well- 
known  remarkable  fact,  that  the  President  of  the  United  States,  (Mr.  Madison,)  and 
the  heads  of  Department,  were  on  the  battle-field  during  a  portion  of  the  time  of 
the  action. 

(3)  Nat.  Int.,  Sept,  14,  1814. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


36 


The  loss  of  the  Americans  did  not  exceed  10  or  12 
killed,  and  40  wounded. 

The  great  body  of  the  American  troops  retreated  after 
the  battle  towards  Montgomery  Court  House;  and  there 
were,  of  course,  no  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  enemy, 
who  proceeded  to  march  the  portion  of  his  army  who 
had  not  taken  an  active  part  in  the  engagement,  into  the 
city  of  Washington. 

It  is  a  matter  of  history,  and  of  lasting  reproach  to 
the  British  nation,  that  in  violation  of  all  the  rules  of 
civilized  warfare,  General  Ross  proceeded  to  destroy 
and  lay  waste  the  public  buildings, (i)  monuments,  and 
property,  including  a  valuable  library,  and  some  of  the 
archives,  in  the  most  wanton  manner,  involving  in  their 
destruction  many  private  dwellings  and  a  great  amount 
of  private  property. (^)  The  feeling  to  which  these  acts 
-ave  rise,  not  only  in  America,  but  in  Europe,(^)  in- 
'  J  d  British  writers  to  offer  excuses  for  the  outrage. 
ii  has  been  alleged,  that  a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  into  the 
city  with  terms,  and  that  the  party  bearing  it  was  fired 
upon  from  one  of  the  houses,  and  the  horse  of  General 
Ross,  who  accompanied  them,  was  killed, (")  and  that 
"so  direct  a  breach  of  the  law  of  nations"  justified  the 
subsequent  atrocities.  But  these  excuses  are  met  by 
the  fact,  that  on  the  18th  of  August,  1814,  Admiral 
Cochrane  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Monroe,  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,  announcing  his  intention  to  "  destroy  and 
lay  waste  such  towns  and  districts  upon  the  coast  as 
may  be  found  assailable." (')     Admiral  Cockburn,  in  his 

(I)  The  Patsnt  Oflice  alone  escaped.  ^ifi'/i^um^ 

(«)  Particular  pains  were  taken  by  Admiral  OulIiioBB  to  destroy  the  oflice  of  the 
"National  Intelligencer." 

(3)  Palmer,  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  iv.  p.  56.  (•«)  Gleigr,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  p.  129. 

(5)  The  letter  is  to  be  found  in  Palmer's  Register,  vol.  iv.  p.  181,  Off.  Doc.  It 
was  not  delivered,  however,  till  seven  days  after  the  destruction  of  the  city. 


'i^'A 


A: 


36 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


.  I 
II 


official  letter,  describes  being  fired  upon — "  the  General, 
myself,  and  some  officers,  advancing  a  short  way  past 
the  first  houses  of  the  town,  without  being  accompanied 
by  the  troops,  the  enemy  opened  a  heavy  fire  of  mus- 
ketry from  the  Capitol,  and  two  other  houses;  these 
were,  therefore,  almost  immediately  stormed  by  our 
people,  taken  possession  of,  and  set  on  fire,  after  which 
the  town  submitted  without  further  resistance. "(')  Not 
one  word  is  said  of  there  being  "a  flag  of  truce"  with 
the  party.  The  dispatch  of  General  Ross  to  Earl 
Bathurst  is  entirely  silent  on  the  subject  ;(^)  he  does  not 
even  mention  being  fired  upon : — after  describing  the 
action  at  Bladensburg,  and  his  arrival  at  Washington  at 
8  o'clock  at  night,(^)  he  says,  "judging  it  of  conse- 
quence to  complete  the  destruction  of  the  public  build- 
ings with  tlie  least  possible  delay,  so  that  the  army 
might  retire  without  loss  of  time,  the  following  build- 
ings were  consumed,  the  Capitol,  &c. — The  object  of 
the  expedition  having  been  accomplished,  &c."  Posi- 
tive testimony,  indeed,  exists,  that  the  General  and 
Admiral  had  halted  to  confer  about  he  destruction  of 
the  Capitol,  when  the  gun  was  fired  that  killed  the 
General's  horse.  The  fact  was  stated  to  John  S.  Skinner, 
Esq.,  agent  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners,  by  Admiral 
Cockburn  himself,  soon  after  the  event ;  he  said  not  one 
word  about  the  flag  of  truce,  and  did  not  attempt  to 
justify  the  act,  strongly  condemned  by  Mr.  Skinner,  but 
on  the  contrary  said,  "  he  had,  upon  further  reflection, 

(1)  Palmer's  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  iv.  p.  144,  OfT.  Doc. 

(2)  Palmer's  Hist.  Reg.,  vol.  iv.  p.  146,  Off.  Doc.     General  Armstrong  states,  that 


tAT/f/S 


General  Ross  and 


iitn 


,  after  entering  the  city  with  a  small  escort,  visited  the 


public  buildings,  set  a  price  on  their  ransom,  and  dispatched  an  agent  to  open 
a  negotiation  with  some  competent  American  authority  on  the  subject;  the  return 
of  the  messenger  with  a  rejection  of  the  terms,  became  the  signal  for  destruction. — 
(Not  War  of  1812,  vol.  ii.  p.  1.31.)  ,...,,..   --^■.,,^ 

(*)  At  which  hour,  in  the  latter  port  of  the  month  of  August,  darkness  prevails. 


K. 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE  EVENTS,    ETC. 


37 


experienced  much  regret  that  it  should  have  been  done, 
and  declared  that  if  it  were  revocable  it  would  not  be 
repeated  under  similar  circumstances,  "(i) 

That  such  an  event  as  we  have  described  should  have 
taken  place  without  serious  effects  upon  the  public 
mind,  cannot  be  supposed — inquiry  and  judgment  upon 
the  actors  in  it  were  necessary  consequences. 

The  Secretary  at  War,  on  his  return  to  Washington, 
found  the  public  mind  greatly  excited  against  him,  and 
some  of  his  friends  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  Presi- 
dent was  among  those  who  intended  to  cast  the  respon- 
sibiUty  of  the  disgrace  at  Bladensburg  upon  him.  (2) 
He  retired  from  office,  after  giving  his  reasons  for  the 
act  to  the  public,  in  a  letter  dated  September  3,  1814,(^) 
and  never  returned  to  public  life.  We  are  not  aware 
that  he  ever  sought  any  investigation,  or  asked  for  any 
inquiry  on  the  part  of  Congress ;  his  appeal  was  to  the 
pubUc  and  to  history. C*) 

The  course  of  General  Winder — who  never  lost  the 
confidence  of  the  Executive(*) — was  that  of  an  officer 
who  felt  that  he  had  been  hardly  dealt  with,  and  was 
unfortunate,  not  through  his  own  fault.  He  took  an 
active  part  in  the  military  operations  against  the  enemy 
at  Baltimore,  and  on  the  22d  of  September,  1814,  was 

(!)  Gleig,  Camp,  at  Wash.,  Appendix,  p.  400.     Am.  ed.,  Philada.  1821. 

(2)  Letter,  John  Hohnes,  Esq.,  to  General  Armstrong,  Oct.  15,  1814.  K.  Arm- 
strong's Ex.  of  MKenney's  Reply,  p.  18.  The  writer  of  that  pamphlet  insists  that 
there  was  a  plot  to  remove  General  A,  from  office.  See  also  "  extracts  of  a  letter 
from  Gov.  Decha  to  General  Armstrong,  Sept.  26,  1814.  K.  Armstrong's  Review 
of  MKenney's  Narr.,  (1846.)  See  the  Boston  Patriot,  Sept.  21,  1814.  "Letter 
from  a  gentleman  in  Washington,  Sept.  13,  1814." 

(3)  Bait.  Patriot.  Nat  Int.,  Sept.  18,  1814.  It  is  also  given,  bi^  without  date,  in 
K.  Armstrong's  Review  of  M'Kenney's  Narr.,  (1846,)  p.  13.     Appendix,  No.  21. 

(<)  His  "Notices  of  the  War  of  1812,"  published,  (1836,  vol,  i.,  1840,  vol.  ii.,) 
may  also  be  viewed  in  this  light. 

(>)  Letter!  of^fe^ftMMMpiA^MHi»Myv«k«»Adj.-Gen.  Parker,  Feb.  18,  1815, 
Appendix,  No.  28    Letter  of  Mr.  Madison,  Sept.  15,  1834.    Appendix,  No.  23. 


i 


^: 


A   SKETCH   OP   THE   EVENTS,   ETC. 


ly 


H 


f ' 


in 


i  * 


ordered  to  the  army  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  "where  his 
services  were  deemed  of  importance."(^)  He  repaired 
there  with  the  utmost  celerity,  though  the  investigation 
was  going  on  vt'hich  terminated  in  the  Report  to  which 
we  have  so  often  referred,  which  did  not  decide  upon 
the  military  question,  inasmuch  as  the  Committee  were 
of  opinion  "that  that  belonged  to  a  military  tribunal."(^) 
The  state  of  the  affairs  on  the  frontier  gave  him  no  op- 
portunity to  vindicate  his  fame  at  the  head  of  regular 
troops,  and  he  returned  to  Washington  to  urge  the  in- 
quiry, by  a  competent  military  tribunal,  of  his  conduct 
in  the  command  of  the  10th  Military  District.  He  had 
not  ceased  to  demand  this  vindication  from  the  moment 
that  he  found  that  attempts  had  been  made,  "  and  perse- 
vered in,"  to  misrepresent  his  actions  and  injure  his  repu- 
tation. At  his  urgent  instances  a  Court  of  Inquiry,  of 
which  Major-General  Winfield  Scott  was  president,  was 
ordered(^)  on  the  21st  of  January,  1815,  and  their  Report 
not  only  acquitted  him  with  the  highest  honor,  but  estab- 
lished the  propriety  of  the  views  he  had  given  to  the 
War  Department  when  he  took  command  of  the  10th 
Military  District,  and  of  his  subsequent  conduct,  by  the 
sanction  of  the  highest  military  authority.  The  Presi- 
dent approved  the  Report,  and  on  the  12th  of  March. 
1815,  General  Winder  was  again  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  10th  Military  District,(')  and  enjoyed  he 
continued  confidence  of  the  Government. (*)  He  de- 
clined, however,  to  continue  in  the  army,^^)  and  n;- 

(')  Orders  of  Sept.  22d,  1814.     Appendix,  No.  24. 

(2)  R.  M.  Johnson's  Letter,  21st  Dee.,  1814,  to  General  Winder. 

(3)  Orders  of  25th  Feb.,  1815,  Appendix,  No.  25,  which  contain  uie  warrant 
and  finding  of  the  court 

(*)  Gen.  Orders,  March  12,  1815,  Appendix,  No.  26. 
(S)  Letter  of  Adj.-Gen.  Parker,  March  31,  1815,  Appendix,  No.  27. 
(«)  Letters  of  Gen.  Winder  ailll  A.  mmtm^'imf^mf'Wf'^Qlfl,  Appendix, 
No.  28.  iR 


A   SKETCH   OF   THE    EVENTS,   ETC. 


39 


Re- 


turned to  civil  life,  and  the  enjoyment  of  the  respect 
and  consideration  of  his  fellow-citizens.  His  practice  at 
the  bar  was  extensive ;  he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  of 
Maryland,  and  upon  offering  himself  as  a  candidate  for 
Congress  ten  days  before  the  election,  and  after  many  of 
his  friends  had  pledged  themselves  to  his  opponent,  Mr. 
M'Kim,  was  within  fourteen  votes  of  being  elected. 
The  demonstrations  of  public  respect  upon  his  death, 
exhibited  in  the  funeral  honors  paid  to  him,  exceeded 
those  which  had  ever  been  accorded  to  a  private  citi- 
zen.(') 

It  is  not  foreign  to  our  design  to  observe,  that  great 
as  was  the  obloquy  attempted  to  be  thrown  upon  the 
efforts  of  the  Americans  at  Bladensburg  by  some  of  the 
writers  of  their  own  country,  who  seemed  to  forget  the 
difference  between  a  force  of  hastily  assembled  citizens, 
and  veteran  troops,  led  by  officers  of  experience,  and 
using  novel  implements  of  war,(2)  the  estimation  in 
which  the  exploit  was  held  by  the  enemy  should  be 
taken  into  the  account.  It  was  certainly  no  trifling 
victory  for  which  the  thanks  of  Parliament  were  voted 
to  those  who  achieved  it,  and  which  procured  for  the 
fallen  General  who  led  them,  a  monument  in  Westmin- 
ster Abbey,  among  the  most  honored  of  Britain — which 
augmented  the  armorial  bearings  of  his  family,  and 
authorized  his  descendants  forever  to  style  themselves 
"Ross  OF  Bladensburg." 

(•)  Ballimore  Patriot,  May  25,  1824. 

(2)  The  confusion  created  among  some  of  the  best  troops  of  France  at  the  battle 
cf  Leipsic,  by  a  rocket  brigade,  is  well  known  tn  military  men. — Palmer,  Hist.  Reg., 
vol.  iv.  p.  40. 


I 


I  t 


1 


'  ■ 


APPENDIX. 


No.  1. 

War  Department,  July  12,  1814. 

SiH— You  will  receive  herewith  the  copy  of  a  circular  letter,  addressed  to  the 
governors  of  certain  States,  requiring  a  body  of  militia  to  be  organized  and  equipped, 
and  held  in  readiness  for  future  service. 

In  case  of  actual  or  menaced  invasion  of  the  District  you  command,  you  will  call 
for  a  part,  or  for  the  whole  of  the  quota  assigned  to  the  State  of  Maryland,  which 
shall  have  been  organized  and  equipped  under  the  aforesaid  requisition. 

In  performing  this  duty  you  will  be  careful  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  calls,  to  pro- 
portion the  call  to  the  exigency,  and  to  have  inspected,  without  delay,  all  corps 
entering  on  service,  to  the  end  that  men,  who  from  any  cause  are  unfit  therefor,  be 
promptly  discharged,  and  that  a  duo  proportion,  in  all  cases,  be  maintained  between 
officers  and  privates. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  ob't  servant, 

J.  ARMSTRONG. 

Brigadier  General  Winder. 


War  Department,  July  4,  1814. 

Sin — The  late  pacification  in  Europe  offers  to  the  enemy  a  large  disposable  force, 
both  naval  and  military,  and  with  it  the  means  of  giving  to  the  war  here,  a  charac- 
ter of  new  and  increased  activity  and  extent. 

Without  knowing  with  certainty  that  such  will  be  its  application,  and  still  less, 
thaf  any  particular  point  or  points  will  become  objects  of  attack,  the  President  has 
deemed  it  advisable,  as  a  measure  of  precaution,  to  strengthen  ourselves  on  the  line 
of  the  Atlantic,  and  (as  the  principal  means  of  doing  this  will  be  found  in  the 
militia)  to  invite  the  executives  of  certain  States  to  organize  and  hold  in  readiness, 
for  immediate  service,  a  corps  of  ninety-three  thousand  five  hundred  men,  under 
the  laws  of  28th  February,  1795,  and  18th  of  April,  1814. 

The  enclosed  detail  will  show  your  excellency  what,  under  this  requisition,  will 
be  the  quota  of  As  far  as  volunteer  uniform 

companies  can  be  found,  they  will  be  preferred. 

The  expediency  of  regarding  (as  well  in  the  designations  of  the  militia  as  of 
their  places  of  rendezvous)  the  points,  the  importance  or  exposure  of  which  will 
be  most  likely  to  attract  the  views  of  the  enemy,  need  but  be  suggested. 

A  report  of  the  organization  of  your  quota,  when  completed,  and  of  its  place  or 
places  of  rendezvous,  will  be  acceptable. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  very  great  respect. 

Your  excellency's  most  ob't  and  very  humble  servant. 

His  Excellency  the  Governor  of 


42 


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APPENDIX. 


43 


a. 


No.  2.(») 


c 
a 


B 


Baltimore,  July  9,  1814. 
Sir — The  Hon.  Secretary  of  War  informed  me,  wlien  nt  Washington,  that  Asst 
Adjt.  Gen.  Hito  or  Jcmison  would  be  assigned  to  the  10th  District;  bo  i)leascd  to 
mention  the  subject,  and  expedite  an  order  to  whichever  of  them  tlie  Secretary  may 
designate,  to  report  himself  personally  to  me  without  delay.  If  an  inspector  of 
any  rank  could  also  bo  spared  to  this  District,  I  should  be  glad.  An  hospital  sur- 
geon would  also  be  useful,  perhaps  necessary. 

I  fear  I  shall  find  it  extremely  inconvenient,  if  not  impossible,  without  great 
injury  to  the  service,  to  call  on  the  olTicers  serving  under  me  to  constitute  the  neces- 
sary courts  martial.  If  I  could  bo  allowed  to  call  upon  some  of  the  recruiting  oflicers 
most  convenient  to  the  places  where  the  courts  are  to  be  held,  it  would  relieve  the 
officers  of  my  command  very  much,  without  injuring  the  recruiting  service. 
Be  pleased  to  lay  these  subjects  before  the  Secretary  of  War  for  his  commands. 
I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  ob't  servant, 

(Signed)  WM.  H.  WINDER, 

Brig.  Gen.  commanding  Wtli  Military  District. 
Capt.  John  R.  Beli, 

jlsst.  Inspr.  Gen.,  Washington  City. 


2  o  o 
ft  o« 
^^     1-1 


>>>» 


e  a 


Nos.  3  &  9. 

Mjutant  and  Inspector  General's  Office,  Washington,  July  12,  1814. 
Sir — Your   letter  of  the  9th  instant  has  been  received,  and  submitted  to  the 
Secretary  of  War.     I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  when  courts  martial  cannot 
otherwise  be  constituted,  and  when  sitting  at  places  which  are  recruiting  stations, 
officers  belonging  to  these  may  be  put  on  courts  martial. 

Major  Hito  and  Jemison,  Assistant  Adjutants  General,  will  be  attached  to  your 
staff;  to  one  of  them  you  will  assign  the  duties  of  inspector. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  ob't  servant, 

JAS.  R.  BELL, 

^sst.  Ingpr.  General. 

P.  S. — ^Thero  is,  at  this  place,  a  hospital  surgeon's  mate,  and  garrison  surgeon's 
mate. 

Brio.  Gek.  W.  H.  Winder, 

Commanding  M.  Dial.  a.  10  Baltimore. 


(')  Sent  inclosed  in  the  letter  of  the  same  date  printed  at  page  IG. 


44 


APPENDIX. 


No.  4. 

Crawford' »  Hotel,  Jlugutl  10,  1814. 
Sin — I  called  «it  your  qiinrters  this  morning  to  report  myself  to  you  hs  Assistant 
Adjutant  Gfuerul,  pursuant  to  an  order  I  yesterday  received  frr)m  tlie  War  Depart* 
merit;  understanding  you  had  gone  to  Baltimore  on  <lnly,  and  conceiving  n  pursuit 
thither  might  bo  rendered  fruitless  by  your  departuro  for  some  other  post  in  your 
district  before  I  could  reach  it,  I  have  determined  to  remain  hero  until  your  arrival, 
or  until  I  could  receive  some  certain  advices  of  /our  movements, 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  the  most  perfect  respect,  sir, 
Your  ob't  servant, 

R.  G.  HITE, 
^nitt.  Mjt.  Gen.  lOth  Military  Ditt. 
Brio.  Gkx.  Wm.  H.  Wiwdeii. 


No.  5. 


Secretary's  Office,  July  14,  1814. 
SiK — In  the  absence  of  the  Governor,  I  deem  it  my  duty  to  inform  you,  that  your 
communication  containing  a  requisition  for  a  detachment  of  14,000  Pennsylvania 
militia,  came  to  the  office  this  morning,  and  was  immediately  forwarded  by  express 
to  the  Governor,  at  Selin's  Grove.  Be  assured  the  requisition  will  be  met  with  all 
the  promptness  the  circumstances  possibly  will  permit. 
With  high  considerations  of  respect, 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  B.  BOILEAU, 

Secretary. 
John  Armstrong,  Tm., 

Secretary  if  War. 


Secretary's  Office,  July  25,  1814. 
Sir — The  Governor  has  directed  me  to  inclose  to  you  copies  of  general  orders 
issued  by  him  in  compliance  with  a  late  requisition  for  a  military  force  from  Penn- 
sylvania, by  the  President,  communicated  by  yours  under  date  of  the  4th  inst.  He 
has  not,  as  you  will  perceive,  designafid  places  of  rendezvous  :  he  thinks  it  will  be 
in  time  to  do  so  in  subsequent  orders,  which  must  issue  before  the  troops  can 
march:  the  threatened  point  of  attaclc  by  the  enemy  will,  it  is  probable,  then  be 
better  ascertained,  and  a  more  prudent  selection  of  place  can  be  made.  The  repeal 
of  our  militia  law  of  1807,  and  its  several  supplements,  on  the  1st  of  August  next, 
the  disannulling  of  all  militia  commissions  on  that  day,  by  a  new  law  of  the  last 
session,  granted  under  the  old  law,  except  the  commissions  of  such  officers  as  may 
then  be  in  actual  service,  the  ordering  by  the  new  law,  the  holding  of  elections  of 


APPENDIX.  41^ 

oflicprs  by  the  miliiia  aHcr  the  said  Ist  of  Aii({u«f,  the  notice  of  election,  returns  to 
be  made;  and  the  protracting  to  the  fourth  Monday  of  October  next  the  classifica- 
tion of  the  inihtiii,  chuk'-.s  an  ahnost  total  disorRanization  of  our  militia  xystom 
between  the  1st  of  Augn.st  and  the  4th  of  October,  ami  j)resent8  difliculties,  in 
yielding  jierfect  conii)Iiance  with  the  requisition  of  the  President,  insurmountablo. 
It  is  lioped,  hoM'ever,  that  die  patriotism  of  the  people  will  obviate  the  dilRculty, 
by  a  voluntary  temlcr  of  services,  which  the  Governor  has  invited,  growing  out  of 
the  nnoccountable  oversight  of  the  Legislature.  It  is  strongly  doubted  whether  any 
orders  can  bo  enforced  imder  the  present  slate  of  things. 

The  requisition  refers  to  dio  Act  of  Congress  passed  the  28th  of  February,  1795  j 
ijnder  which  militia  can  bo  licld  in  service  three  months  only;  and  to  the  law  of 
1814,  which  auUioriz(Hl  the  President  to  keep  them  six  months  in  service.  The 
law  of  Pennsylvania,  passed  at  the  last  session  of  its  Legislature,  requires  the 
Governor  to  mention  in  general  orders  the  periotl  for  which  any  militia  ordered 
into  service!  is  to  remain  on  duty.  It  is  desirable,  therefore,  to  know  whether  the 
requisition  is  intended  f(jr  three  or  six  months'  service.  The  oflices  of  deputy  quar- 
ter master  general  and  assistants,  and  assistant  adjutant  generals,  are  not  recognized 
by  our  State  laws. 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  inclosing  to  you  a  copy  of  the  militia  law  of  this 
State,  passed  at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature,  from  a  perusal  of  which  yon 
will  perceive  the  difficulties  under  which  the  executive  at  present  labors,  in  at- 
tempting to  comply  with  tho  requisition. 

With  high  considerations  of  respect,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

N.  B.  BOILEAU, 

Stcrttary. 

JoHW  Armstrong,  Esa., 

Secretary  of  War. 


No.  6. 


Secretary's  Office,  Auguit  27,  1814. 

Sir — I  am  directed  by  the  Governor  to  inclose  to  you  a  copy  of  general  orders 
issued  yesterday.  The  letter  of  General  Winder  containing  the  requisition,  under 
date  of  the  18th  inst.,  was  not  received  until  the  evening  of  the  23d.  The  de- 
ranged state  of  our  militia  system  prevented  a  more  prompt  compliance  with  the 
demand.  To  obviate,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  inconvenience  of  delay,  the  Go- 
vernor has  directed  the  flank  and  volunteer  companies  to  push  on  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  without  any  regard  to  the  time  fixed  on  for  the  general  rendezvous  of  the 
ordinary  drafts.  The  commanding  ofTicers  of  the  companies  or  detachments  are 
instructed  to  report  themselves,  and  the  number  of  their  men,  to  General  Winder, 
as  the  officer  who  may  have  command  of  the  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States  in  the  10th  Military  District. 

The  tents,  camp  equipage,  as  well  as  arms  and  accoutrements  belonging  to  the 


f     i 


46 


APPENDIX. 


State,  being  insufficient  to  accommodate  the  troops  called  into  service,  the  Grovcnior 
relies  on  the  deficiency  being  supplied  by  the  United  Slates  as  promptly  as  practi- 
cable, to  render  the  men  comfortable  and  efficient. 
With  high  respect  and  esteem,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

N.  B.  BOILEAU, 

Secretary. 
JuiiN  Armstrono,  Esd., 

Secretary  of  War. 


No.  7. 

Mjutant  General's  Office^  Richmond,  July  14,  1814. 

Sin — Your  requisition  on  the  militia  of  diis  State,  bearing  date  the  4lh  instant, 
has  been  received. 

Apprehending  that  the  object  of  this  measure  is  to  have  in  readiness  a  jjrovisional 
force  to  repel  a  sudden  invasion,  1  have  inclosed  the  general  orders  from  this  de- 
partment, of  the  22d  ultimo,  placing  in  a  state  of  preparation,  for  such  an  event, 
upwards  of  15,000  men.  They  are  not  organized,  other  than  on  the  plan  of  the 
militia  generally,  but  you  will  perceive  that  the  points  of  rendezvous  are  designated. 
In  adilition  to  this  force,  the  8di,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  9th  brigade,  (amount- 
ing to  7000,  and  all  convenient  to  Norfolk,)  are  placed  in  the  same  situation,  and 
directed  to  co-operate  with  General  Porter  in  resisting  an  attack  on  Norfolk. 

Arms,  ammunition,  &c.  will  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  whole.  Should  these 
arrangements  moet  your  views,  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  make  a  detail  on  all  the 
regiments  in  the  State  for  the  12,000  called  for,  unless  it  is  desirable  that  this  num- 
ber be  set  apart  to  perform  a  regular  tour  of  duty.  But  as  the  troops  now  in  readi- 
ness are  adequate  to  the  emergency  contemplated,  and  the  recjuisitions  for  those 
that  are  to  perform  regular  duty  will  be  made,  in  future,  in  time  for  every  prcjja- 
tion  to  be  made,  it  is  believed  that  the  object  of  your  requisition  has  been  antici- 
pated. If  this  is  the  fact,  his  excellency  the  Governor  is  desirable  that  die  regiments 
now  held  in  requisition,  and  subject  to  be  called  out  en  masse,  be  considered  by  you 
as  a  provisional  force  only,  and  not  subject  to  perform  service  beyond  the  continu- 
ance of  the  emergency  which  may  call  them  into  the  field. 

As  concert  in  the  measures  of  the  General  and  State  Governments  is  all  import- 
ant, peimit  me  earnestly  to  solicit  your  earliest  attention  to  this  subject.  In  the 
meantime,  arrangements  will  bo  made  to  take  our  quota  from  the  miliiia  generally, 
as  that  measure  cannot  be  avoided  under  existing  circumstances,  unless  the  force 
required  be  provisional. 

Rest  assured,  sir,  that  nothing  will  be  wanting  on  the  [)art  of  this  State  to  co-ope- 
rate cordially  and  effectually  with  the  General  Government. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

CLAIBORNE  W.  GOOCH, 

Deputy  MJutant  General, 

The  Hon.  Jouir  Armstrong, 

Secretary  of  War, 


f 


APPENDIX. 


47 


No.  8. 


War  Department,  July  IS,  1814. 
Sir — A  letter  of  the  14th  instant,  from  Deputy  Adjutant  General  Gooch,  inclosing 
a  copy  of  your  general  orders  of  the  22d  ultimo,  and  recjuesting  to  know  whether 
the  corps  put  into  requisition  by  these  orders  would  not  supply  the  call  of  the  4tli 
instant,  made  through  this  department  on  the  State  of  Virginia,  has  been  received 
and  submitted  to  the  President.  In  reply  thereto,  I  am  instructed  to  state,  that  inas- 
much as  the  service  of  the  militia  required  by  your  excellency  is  declared  to  be  pro- 
visional, limited,  in  point  of  time,  to  the  emergency  that  calls  it  forth,  and  in  point 
of  place  to  the  State  of  Virginia,  and  not  subjected  to  the  direction  of  any  officer  of 
the  United  States,  it  cannot  be  considered  as  fulfilling  the  views  of  the  President. 

Permit  me  to  take  this  occasion  to  state  to  your  excellency  that  2000  of  the  (juota 
of  Virginia  will  be  put  at  the  disposition  of  General  Winder,  as  commanding  officer 
of  this  district. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Your  excellency's  inost  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  ARMSTRONG. 
His  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Virginia. 


No.  10. 

Washing/on  City,  August  7,  1818. 

Srn — I  have  had  the  honor  to  receive  your  letter  of  the  5th  instant,  requesting  to 
be  informed  of  the  reasons  for,  and  the  circumstances  attending  the  removal  of  the 
Ijooks  and  j)apers  of  the  Department  of  State  to  a  place  of  security  in  August,  1814, 
whilst  a  British  fleet  and  army,  then  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  were  menacing  an 
attack  on  this  city. 

After  a  lapse  of  34  years  I  may  not  be  perfectly  accurate  in  my  recollection  of 
all  the  circimistances  attending  the  transaction  referred  to,  but  I  will,  with  great 
pleasure,  state  thein  as  they  now  occur  to  my  memory. 

I  have  no  knowledge  of  information  having  been  received  by  the  Government 
from  Messrs.  Bayard  and  Gallatin,  then  ministers  in  Europe  for  adji'sting  a  peace 
with  Great  Britain,  of  a  proposed  attack  on  Washington  City  by  the  British  forces ; 
but  I  reuK^mber  to  have  seen,  in  some  of  the  British  newspapers,  received  from 
Mr.  Beasely,  the  commissary  of  prisoners  of  War  in  London,  who  was  in  the 
habit  of  forwarding  to  the  Department  London  newspapers  by  the  cartels,  a  state- 
ment that  the  fleet  and  transports  were  receiving  troops  on  Ijoard  at  Bordeaux,  in 
France,  with  the  view  of  operating  against  Washington  arul  Bidtimore,  and  that  it 
was  their  intention  to  retaliate  the  outrages  alleged  to  have  been  committed  by  our 
forces,  under  General  Dearborn,  at  York,  in  Ujjper  Canada,  some  time  previously. 
This  allegation  was  denied  and  related  by  General  Dearlx)rn,  as  will  appear  by 
reference  to  Niles'  Register,  vol.  ix.  p.  IG'J. 


48 


APPENDIX. 


m 


Soon  after  learning  that  the  British  fleet  were  in  tie  Chesapeake,  we  learned  also 
that  they  were  ascending  the  Patuxent,  evidently  with  the  view  of  attacking  this 
city.  Upon  receiving  this  information,  M'hich  was  about  a  week  before  the  enemy 
entered  Washington,  Col.  Monroe,  then  Secretary  of  State,  mounted  his  horse,  and 
proceeded  to  Benedict,  a  small  village  on  the  Patuxent,  where  the  British  forces 
were  being  landed.  From  an  eminence  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  village, 
Col.  Monroe  could  distinctly  see  the  number  and  kind  of  troops  of  which  their 
army  was  composed ;  and  recollecting  the  threats  held  out  in  the  British  papers, 
and  believing  that  we  had  no  force  which  could  successfully  resist  them,  he  sent  a 
note,  either  to  Mr.  John  Graham,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  office,  or  myself,  (I  do  not 
remember  which,)  by  a  vidctte,  advising  us  to  take  the  best  care  of  the  books  and 
papers  of  the  oflice  which  micht  be  in  our  power.  Whereupon  I  proceeded  to  pur- 
chase coarse  linen,  and  cause  it  to  be  made  into  bags  of  convenient  size,  in  which 
the  gentlemen  of  die  office,  assisted  by  me,  placed  the  books  and  other  papers,  after 
which  I  obtained  carts,  and  had  them  conveyed  to  a  grist  mill,  then  unoccupied, 
belonging  to  Mr.  Edgar  Patterson,  situated  a  short  distance  on  the  Virginia  side  of 
the  Potomac,  beyond  the  chain  bridge,  so  called,  two  miles  above  Georgetown. 

Whilst  engaged  in  the  passage  way  of  the  building  with  the  papers,  the  Depart- 
ment of  State  being  on  one  side,  and  the  War  Department  on  the  oUier  side  of  the 
passage.  General  Armstrong,  then  Secretary  of  War,  on  his  way  to  his  own  room, 
stopped  a  short  time,  and  observed  to  me,  that  he  thought  we  were  under  unneces- 
sary alarm,  as  he  did  not  think  the  British  wore  serious  in  their  intentions  of  coming 
to  Washington.  I  replied  that  we  were  under  a  different  belief,  and  let  their  in- 
tentions be  what  they  might,  it  was  the  part  of  prudence  to  preserve  the  valuable 
papers  of  the  Revolutionary  Government,  comprising  the  declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, the  laws,  the  secret  journals  of  Congress,  then  not  published,  the  correspond- 
ence of  General  Washington,  his  commission  resigned  at  the  close  of  the  war,  the 
correspondence  of  General  Greene,  and  other  generals,  as  well  as  all  the  laws, 
treaties,  and  correspondence  of  the  Department  of  State  since  the  adoption  of  the 
Constitution  down  to  that  time. 

Considering  the  papers  unsafe  at  the  mill,  as,  if  the  British  forces  got  to  Wash- 
ington, they  would  probably  detach  a  force  for  tlic  purpose  of  destroying  a  foundry 
for  cannon  and  shot  in  its  neighborhood,  and  would  be  led  by  some  evil  disposed 
person,  to  destroy  the  mill  and  papers  also,  I  proceeded  to  some  farm  houses  in 
Virginia,  and  procured  wagons,  in  which  the  books  and  papers  were  deposited,  and 
I  proceeded  with  them  to  the  town  of  Leesburg,  a  distance  of  35  miles,  at  which 
place  an  empty  house  was  procured,  in  which  the  papers  were  safely  placed,  the 
doors  tockeil,  and  the  keys  given  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Littlejohn,  who  was  then,  or  had 
been,  one  of  the  collectors  of  internal  revenue. 

Being  fatigued  with  die  ride,  and  securing  die  papers,  I  retired  early  to  bed,  and 
was  informed  next  morning  by  the  people  of  the  hotel  where  I  staid,  that  they  had 
seen,  the  preceding  night,  being  the  2 1th  of  August,  a  large  fire  in  the  direction  of 
Washington,  which  proved  to  be  a  light  from  the  public  buildings  the  enemy  had 
set  on  fire,  and  burned  them  to  the  groinid. 

On  the  20th  of  August  I  returned  to  Washington,  and  found  the  President's  house 
and  public  offices  still  burning,  and  learned  that  the  British  army  had  evacuated 
the  city  the  preceding  evening,  in  the  belief  that  our  forces  were  again  assembling 


APPENDIX. 


49 


in  their  rear,  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off  their  retreat  However  this  may  be, 
they  made  a  forced  march,  and  left,  it  was  reported,  a  considerable  number  of  their 
men  on  the  road,  who  were  captured  by  a  troop  of  horse  from  Frederick,  in 
Maryland. 

As  a  part  of  the  British  fleet  soon  afterwards  ascended  the  Potomac,  and  plun- 
dered Alexandria  of  a  large  quantity  of  flour  and  tobacco,  threatening  Washington  at 
the  same  time  witli  a  second  invasion,  it  was  not  considered  safe  to  bring  the  papers 
of  the  State  Department  back  for  some  weekfj,  u.it,  indeed,  until  the  British  fleet  gene- 
rally had  left  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake.  In  •  he  meantime  it  was  found  necessary 
for  me  to  proceed  to  Leesburg  occasionally,  foi  particular  papers,  to  which  the  Secre- 
tary of  Slate  had  occasion  to  refer  in  the  course  of  his  correspondence. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  sir. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

S.  PLEASONTON. 
Wm.  H.  Winder,  Esa., 

Philadelphia,  Perm. 


No.  10,  (2.) 

Upper  Marlborough,  July  16,  18 H. 
Sill — I  reached  this  place  last  evening  in  my  tour  of  examining  the  country. 
From  what  I  have  seen  and  learned,  it  appears  to  me  that  there  cannot  be  found  a 
place  of  tolerable  convenience,  •with  reference  to  the  objects  of  defence,  for  an 
encampment,  except  in  this  neighborhood.  Two  places  near  here  offer  many  con- 
veniences: the  one  two  and  a  half  miles  on  the  western  branch,  and  the  road  to 
Bladensburg,  which  I  have  seen;  the  other  about  five  miles  on  the  road  to  Wash- 
ington and  Piscataway,  near  the  Woodyard,  which  I  shall  examine  to-day.  The 
former  is  represented  as  unhealthy  during  August  and  September,  but  possesses  all 
other  requisites:  the  l^t'.er  is  said  to  be  healthy,  and  unless  there  should  be  some 
considerable  deficiency  towards  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  a  camp,  I  presume 
will  be  preferable;  and  if,  upon  examination,  I  shall  find  it  eligible,  I  shall  order 
the  3Gth  and  38th  immediately  to  proceed  thither.  I  am  much  embarrassed  about 
the  situation  of  Annapolis :  it  cannot  be  defended  against  a  serious  attack  by  land 
and  water,  without  a  large  forcCj  and  many  additional  works;  and  yet  it  appears 
to  me,  that  should  the  enemy  contemplate  serious  operations  in  this  quarter  with 
any  considerable  force,  it  will  be  of  the  utmost  importance  to  him  to  occupy  it. 
With  the  command  of  the  water,  an  entrenchment  of  7  or  800  yards,  properly  pro- 
tected by  batteries,  renders  it  secure  against  any  attack  by  land.  It  furnishes  a 
position  in  every  respect  desirable  and  useful  to  him  for  making  enterprises  against 
any  other  point,  and  a  safe  retreat  against  every  calamity ;  in  short,  it  ajjpears  to 
me  to  be  the  door  to  Washington,  and  it  is  not  possible  for  us  lo  shut  it  with  our 
present  means.  Fort  Madison,  besides  its  exposed  and  defenceless  situation,  except 
from  an  approach  direct  by  water,  is  so  very  unhealthy  during  the  months  of  Au- 
gust and  September,  that  it  is  not  possible  to  keep  a  garrison  in  it.  It  is  provided 
with  two  00  pound  coluinbiuds,  two  24  poumlcrs,  two  18  pounders,  and  one  12 
and  one  6  pounder.     These  guns  will  be  exposed  to  certain  capture  if  they  are  lefv 


50 


APPENDIX. 


there,  and  will  bo  turned  against  the  town  and  Fort  Severn  with  decisive  efl'ect, 
unless  we  can  find  the  means  of  making  a  substantial  defence  of  the  place. 

It  appears  to  me  that  these  guns  should  be  removed,  and  the  post  mined,  ready 
to  be  blown  up  whenever  an  attack  of  the  town  may  be  contemplated.  I  cannot, 
however,  but  again  remark,  the  importance  of  the  place  to  the  enemy,  in  every 
point  of  view,  renders  it  of  the  last  importance  to  be  defended,  if  the  means  can 
be  obtained.  But  a  considerable  force  ought  to  be  instantly  sent  there  to  prepare 
the  works  necessary  to  give  a  chance  of  successful  defence.  On  my  arrival  here 
last  evening,  I  learned  that  an  express  had  passed  through  this  place  to  the  Go- 
vernor of  Maryland,  who  stated  that  he  was  the  bearer  of  information,  that  two  74'3, 
with  a  number  of  small  vessels,  had  made  their  appearance  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Potomac.  It  is  of  importance  that  I  obtain  the  earliest  intelligence,  if  this  bo  true, 
and  I  beg,  if  you  have  any  intelligence  worthy  of  attention,  that  you  would  com- 
municate it  to  me  here  without  delay.  By  the  return  of  the  express  to  Point  Look- 
out, I  shall  write  to  the  person  employed  there  to  give  intelligence,  and  direct  him 
to  transmit  me,  by  express,  intelligence  of  all  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  I 
shall  also  establish  express  lines  from  all  the  prominent  poiuts  of  observation  on 
the  bay,  unless  these  may  be  already  established,  of  which  I  bfg  you  to  inform  me. 
The  Governor  and  Council  of  Maryland  have  taken  steps  immediately  to  comply 
with  the  requisition  of  the  General  Government ;  but  I  fear,  from  my  recent  ex- 
perience, it  will  be  in  vain  to  look  for  any  cfhcient  aid  upon  a  sudden  call  upon  the 

militia. 

W.  H.  WINDER, 

Brig.  Gen.  commanding  10th  M.  D. 
Hon.  Joun  Armstrgno, 

Secretary  of  War. 


No.  11. 

Upper  Marlborough,  July  23,  1814. 

Sir — I  avail  myself  of  a  suspension  of  the  enemy's  movements  to  proceed  to 
Annapolis  and  Baltimore,  to  attend  to  the  militia  calls  on  Maryland.  I  returned 
here  yesterday  at  two  o'clock.  The  Governor  has  issued  ortlers  for  calling  out 
3000  of  the  drafts,  under  the  requisition  of  the  4th  of  July,  and,  at  my  suggestion, 
has  appointed  Bladensburg  as  the  place  of  rendezvous.  I  preferred  this  place, 
because  it  was  near  the  proposed  line  of  defence,  and  contiguous  to  the  supplies 
which  Washington  can  afibrd.  It  will  be  necessary  that  arms,  ammunition,  accou- 
trements, tents,  and  camj)  equipage,  be  deposited  there  for  them.  I  have  no  know- 
ledge where  these  articles  are  in  store  nearest  that  point,  nor  under  whose  charge 
they  are.  I  must  pray  you  give  the  necessary  orders  for  having  the  requisite 
deposits  made  at  that  place.     I  have  notified  the  contractor. 

Tli(!  2000  militia  called  from  General  Smith's  division,  and  who  are  to  rendez- 
vous near  Baltimore,  will,  I  believe,  need  no  siipplies  but  provision  and  ammunition 
from  the  United  States.  Upon  these  points  I  have  taken  orders.  I  fear  some  time 
will  ela[)so  before  eiUier  of  these  requisitions  can  be  complied  widi,  in  having  the 
men  assembled,  especially  the  former,  the  draft  being  yet  to  be  made.     Major  Mar- 


*.^Tpi6^ffTI*«-"-l' 


APPENDIX. 


51 


effect, 


steller,  if  not  too  much  occupied  at  Washington,  ought  to  be  with  me  in  the  field ; 
but  his  duties  will  call  him,  probably,  lo  so  many  different  points,  that  it  appears  to 
me  ho  will  require  an  assistant.  The  enemy's  force  is  divided  between  the  Poto- 
mac and  Patuxent.  The  accounts  which  ought  most  to  be  credited,  give  500  as 
havi-.g  landed  from  the  Patuxent  squadron,  and  from  1000  to  1500  from  the  Poto- 
mac squadron,  and  although,  from  repeated  experience,  we  are  forbid  to  rely  on 
this  intelligence,  yet,  as  it  is  the  only  direct  intelligence  we  have,  and  comes  from 
respectable  people  having  had  opportunities  of  observation,  it  cannot  be  wholly  dis- 
regarded. I  shall,  therefore,  for  the  present,  still  retain  the  city  volunteers,  and 
keep  them  and  the  regulars  in  a  post  of  observation  and  readiness.  I  shall  myself 
proceed  nearer  the  enemy  for  the  purpose  of  better  information  and  observation. 

As  I  do  not  know  M'hether  only  the  quota  of  the  district  militia  is  to  be  drafted 
and  placed  at  my  disposal,  or  whether,  on  occasion,  they  are  all  considered  as  liable 
to  requisition,  I  would  thank  you  for  information  on  that  subject.  As  that  part  of 
the  Pennsylvania  militia,  assigned  for  my  district,  are  remote,  and  could  not  bo  called 
out  upon  emergency,  might  it  not  be  expedient  to  draw  from  remotest  points,  leav- 
ing that  portion  of  the  militia  nearest  the  probable  scene  of  action,  to  be  called  out 
on  the  spur  of  the  occasion?  A  deserter  from  the  British,  whose  examination  I 
have  seen,  snys  tlu'y  talk  of  attacking  Annapolis.  If  they  know  their  own  interest 
and  our  weakness,  in  fact,  incapacity,  to  defend  that  point,  they  certainly  will  pos- 
sess it. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  very  great  respect,  sir. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  H.  WINDER, 
Brig.  Gen.  commanding  1 0th  M.  D 

Hon.  Johw  Armsthong, 

Secrcraiy  of  War, 


No.  12. 


Warburton,  near  Fort  Washington^  July  25,  1814. 
Sir — From  the  inclosed  representation  of  Lieutenant  Edwards,  and  my  own 
observation  in  confirmation  thereof.  Fort  Washington  is,  in  several  respects,  incom- 
plete in  its  state  of  preparation  for  defence.  If  die  18  pound  columbiads  are  not 
mounted  even  in  the  block  house,  ammunition  ought  to  be  sent  down  for  them  and 
the  18  pounders  on  the  water  battery.  Lieutenant  Edwards  will  send  a  requisition 
for  the  quantity  and  kind  of  ammunition  necessary.  Can  Colonel  Wailswortli,  or 
the  proper  department  at  Washington,  have  the  platform  enlarged,  which  will  be 
necessary  to  render  the  battery  of  the  fort  eflectual  ? 

I  shall  proceed  down  as  far  as  Port  Tobacco  to-day.  ■•        ... 

I  am,  with  very  great  respect,  sir. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  H.  WINDER, 
Brig.  Gen.  commanding  lOth  M.  D. 
How.  John  Armsthoso, 

Serrelary  of  War.  Washington  City. 


59 


APPENDIX. 


i' 


BSPOBT    OF    LIKUTENANT    EDWARDS. 

Fort  Washington,  July  25,  1814. 

Sir — I  deem  it  my  duty  to  report  to  you  the  defenceless  situation  of  this  post. 
The  necessity  of  mounting  heavy  artillery  in  the  block  house,  is  apparent  to  every 
military  character  who  is  acquainted  with  the  ground  adjacent  to  the  works.  It  is 
true  a  few  eighteen  pound  columbiads  have  been  sent  here,  but  there  are  no  means  to 
enable  us  to  mount  them  :  we  are  destitute  of  a  gin  and  tackle.  The  width  of  the  plat- 
form in  the  fort  is  another  subject  upon  which  frequent  representations  (I  understand) 
were  made  to  General  Bloomfield,  but  without  effect.  The  depth  of  platforms  for 
heavy  pieces,  is  generally  from  three  to  four  toises,  but  seldom  less  than  three. 
The  width  of  this  is  but  fourteen  feet,  very  httle  more  than  two  toises ;  at  the  first 
discharge  of  our  heavy  guns  I  have  known  them  to  recoil  to  the  hurtoirs.  When 
they  are  heated  they  would  undoubtedly  run  over  it,  and  thus  be  rendered  useless 
for  a  time. 

On  the  water  battery  there  are  mounted  five  excellent  long  eighteen  pounders, 
(ship  guns,)  but  there  is  not  a  pound  of  ammunition  for  them.  In  case  of  an 
attack  by  water,  the  utility  of  these  guns  would  soon  be  discovered.  In  defending 
ourselves  against  maritime  attacks,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  to  have  a  battery 
near  the  level  of  the  water,  so  as  to  strike  the  hull  of  a  ship  in  a  horizontal  line; 
for  the  chance  of  hitting  the  object  is  much  greater  than  when  firing  from  an  eleva- 
tion, when  it  is  only  an  intersection  of  the  line  of  fire  by  the  line  of  the  surface  that 
the  ball  can  strike  a  ship's  hull.  In  the  first  case  the  gunner  has  only  to  move  his 
piece  horizontally;  in  the  other  he  must  combine  his  direction  with  those  of  his 
elevation  and  the  progress  of  the  ship. 

Some  of  the  gun  carriages  in  the  fort  are  in  bad  order,  but  not  so  much  so  as  to 
render  them  unserviceable.  You  will  perceive  by  this  morning's  report,  which  I 
inclose,  what  is  the  strength  of  my  force :  those  reported  sick  are  invalids ;  those 
on  extra  duty  are  men  employed  in  the  bake-house,  garden,  &c.,  and  who  are,  from 
bodily  defects,  incapable  of  guard  duty,  but  would  be  serviceable  in  an  action. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c., 

JAMES  L.  EDWARDS, 
Lieut,  commanding  Fort  Wathington. 


No.  13. 

Piscataway,  July  27,  1814. 

Sir — I  returned  to  this  place  from  Port  Tobacco  this  morning. 

One  of  the  enemy's  frigates,  the  Loire,  it  is  said,  passed  tlirough  the  Kettle  Bot- 
toms, but  returned,  the  day  before  yesterday,  to  Clement's  Bay,  where  two  74's 
still  remain.  I  have  not  obtained  information  where  the  remainder  of  the  fleet 
are.  If  there  are  any  of  their  vessels  in  the  Patuxent,  they  are  at  or  near  the 
mouth  of  the  river.    I  expect  p  hear  of  them  next  up  the  bay.    I  shall  go  on  im- 


^^^r^- i*Si?^'?r''^. 


APPENDIX. 


53 


mediately  to  Mnrlborougli,  where,  or  near  it,  I  shall  remain  until  the  movements  of 
the  enemy  may  call  me  away. 

General  Stuart  has  a  very  considerable  force  at,  or  near,  Cedar  Point;  Colonel 
Beall  has  his  regiment,  and  a  troop  of  cavalry  at  Port  Tobacco;  and  Colonel  Bowie, 
with  his  regiment,  is  at  Nottingham;  the  regulars  under  my  command  are  at  Marl- 
borough, between  the  enemy  and  any  possible  approach  to  Washington.  The 
Governor  is  exerting  himself  to  collect  a  force  at  Annapolis. 

I  have  employed  myself  without  intermission  in  examining  the  country,  and 
have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  its  topography  which  will  be  extremely  useful 
to  me. 

I  should  have  proceeded  lower  down  had  the  enemy's  force  moved  np  the  rivers 
Potomac  or  Patuxent — but  the  retrograde  movements  on  both  the  rivers  induces 
me  to  suppose  they  will  proceed  to  some  other  point,  and  I  return  to  Marllxjrough, 
to  be  ready  whenever  he  may  appear. 

I  have  heard  nothing  as  yet  of  the  dragoons  from  Carlisle,  or  the  detachments  of 
infantry  from  Virginia.  Are  there  not  enough  recruits  of  the  36tli  and  38th  to  form 
a  company  each  ?  If  either  have  50  men,  would  it  not  be  advisable  to  organize  and 
order  them  to  join  ? 

This  will  be  delivered  you  by  Major  Stuart,  who  goes  by  the  way  of  Washing- 
ton, will  join  me  at  Marlborough,  and  take  any  commands  you  may  have  for  me. 
I  am,  with  very  great  respect,  sir. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  H.  WINDER, 
Brig.  Gen.  commatiding  lOth  M,  D. 

Hos.  John  Abmstroito, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington  City. 


those 


Nos.  14  &  15. 


Mj.  and  Insp,  Gen's  Office,  Washington,  ^ug  4,  1814. 
Sm — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  Captain  Samuel  T.  Dyson,  a  jjri.soner  of 
war,  exchanged,  will  shortly  arrive  to  take  command  of  Fort  Washington,  where  he 
is  to  be  permanently  stationed.  On  his  arrival  Captain  Nicholas  will  be  relieved, 
and  ordered  to  report  to  this  office.  He  will  go  to  Philadelphia  lor  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  company  of  recruits  immediately,  intended  for  the  frontier.  Colonel 
Laval  has  two  troops — is  waiting  for  horses. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  H.  BELL, 

^dj.  Insp,  Genl. 
Bbio.  Gsw.  Wm.  H.  Wiwdeh, 

Com.  Dist.  M.  10,  Washington. 


1- 

I    V 


64 


APPENDIX. 


No.   16. 


'      f 


1/ 


(Confltlential.) 

New  York,  Jngust  4,  1814. 

Dear  Gexerai.: — A  desire  to  be  actively  employed,  and,  next  to  tliat,  to  have 
the  great  satisfaction  of  serving  under  an  othcer  I  so  much  esteem,  induces  me  to 
express  this  desire  to  be  stationed  in  the  district  to  the  command  of  which  you 
have  been  appointed. 

It  would  be  my  wish  to  join  you  with  my  party,  and  recruits  enlisted  during  my 
employment  on  the  recruiting  service  in  this  district. 

Permit  me  to  suggest  my  wish  that  you  would  recommend  to  the  Secretary  at 
War  that  my  present  party,  consisting  of  45  men,  exclusive  of  officers,  bo  com- 
pleted to  a  full  company  from  the  Artillerists,  now  in  this  harbor,  which  exceed 
400  men,  a  part  of  which  can  be  safely  draAed  for  other  services,  as  the  militia 
ordered  to  be  drafted  for  service  will  bo  ready  to  supply  the  place  of  the  regular 
artillery. 

Should  this  arrangement  meet  your  approbation,  and  be  sanctioned  by  that  of  the 
Secretary  at  War,  I  would  take  the  liberty  of  recommending  as  officers,  to  act  with 
me  under  your  command,  1st  lieutenant,  Harold  Smyth,  now  doing  duty  with  Cap- 
tain Alexander  S.  Brooks  at  Plattsburg,  and  attached  to  me  on  my  last  campaign; 
2d  lieutenant,  Samuel  Rockwell,  now  on  duty  in  this  city,  and  2d  lieutenant, 
Charles  S.  Merchant,  now  on  the  recruiting  service  in  this  city  with  me. 

I  have  again  to  repeat,  that  my  motives  are  patriotic,  and  such  as  should  influ- 
ence a  soldier;  they  are  communicated  in  the  belief  that  they  will  be  received  in 
this  light. 

My  conduct  in  the  campaign  of  1813,  while  I  had  the  command  of  the  right 
division  of  artillery  under  General  Hampton,  was  honorably  noticed  in  General 
Orders. 

The  conduct  of  the  officers  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  recommend  is  irreproach- 
able. With  such  officers,  were  I  placed  under  your  immediate  command,  I  doubt 
not  our  services  would  become  useful;  and  should  we  meet  the  enemy,  he  would 
doubtless  meet  the  fate  he  deserves. 

I  am  also  the  more  anxious  fur  this  arrangement,  as  the  recruiting  service  here  is 
very  dull. 

I  shall  feel  additionally  indebted  to  you,  if,  previous  to  any  application  being 
made  on  this  subject  to  the  Secretary  at  War,  you  will  communicate  to  me  your 
opinion. 

I  have  tlie  honor  to  be,  respectfully,  dear  General, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JAS.  MKEON, 
Capt.  Corps  of  Artillery. 

Geiteral  Wijtder, 

Covimanding  District. 


V     \ 


APPENDIX. 


65 


No.  17. 


Baltimore,  Jugnst  13,  1814. 

Sm — In  consequence  of  the  two  regiments  M'hich  were  ilrn.fled  from  General 
Smith's  division,  under  the  requisition  of  April  Inst,  being  accepted  as  part  of  iho 
quota  of  Maryland,  under  tlie  requisition  of  the  4th  of  July  last,  and  the  impracti- 
cability, besides  impropriety,  of  calling  any  portion  of  those  drafted  from  the 
Eastern  shore,  and  the  necessity  of  leaving  all  the  men  immediately  upon  the  bay 
and  low  down  upon  the  rivers,  for  local  defence  on  the  western  shuje,  the  remaining 
portion  of  the  Maryland  drafts  to  be  assembled  at  Bladensburg,  instead  of  bciog  3000, 
will  not  much  exceed  as  many  hundred.  I  shall  require  tlie  Governov  to  order  ,  ■!  all 
the  drafts  that  can  possibly  bo  spared  from  the  three  lower  brigades  on  the  western 
shore;  but  since  tlie  whole  number  drafted  on  the  western  shore,  exclusive  of 
those  drawn  from  General  Smith's  division,  do  not  amount  to  1500,  I  apprehend 
that  after  all  shall  be  assendjled,  under  this  second  order  from  the  Governor  of 
Marylard,  they  will  not  exceed  1000  men.  The  most  convenient  and  immediate 
resource  to  supply  this  deficiency,  which  occurs  to  me,  will  be,  to  take  the  militia 
drawn  out  under  the  State  audiority,  and  now  assembled  at  Annapolis,  to  the 
amount  of  1000  men,  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and  to  call  on  the 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania  for  one  regiment.  This  would  make  die  militia  force 
(independent  of  the  two  regiments  near  this  place)  under  my  command  between 
2  and  3000  men,  and  would  complete  the  views  of  the  President  in  the  order 
communicated  to  me  by  you,  to  call  for  not  more  than  3,  nor  less  than  2000  over 
and  above  the  two  regiments  here. 

The  objects  for  which  the  militia  were  called  to  Annapolis,  were  such  as  to 
make  it  proper  that  the  force  should  be  under  the  direction  of  the  commander  of 
the  10th  Military  District.  Some  force  ought,  and  must  be  kept  at  Annapolis,  and 
if  it  should  be  deemed  proper  to  authorize  me  to  accept  them,  I  should  leave  them 
there  until  some  necessity  occurred  requiring  them  elsewhere;  and  the  trouble  and 
expense  of  advancing  a  detachment  there  would  be  avoided. 

These  men  are  only  called  out  for  sixty  days,  which  may,  perhaps,  be  long 
enough,  and  will,  at  all  events,  afford  sufficient  time  to  ascertain  whether  a  further 
force  will  be  necessary.  They  are  already  in  the  field,  equipped  in  all  respects, 
and  organized.  A  saving  of  their  equipments  will  be  gained  by  die  United  States, 
and  all  the  time  and  trouble  of  calling  a  force  in  their  place. 

I  shall  proceed  for  Bladensburg  and  Washington  to-morrow,  or  the  day  following. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  wiUi  great  respect,  sir, 

Your  obe<lient  servant, 

W.  H.  WINDER, 
Brig.  Gen.  commanding  10th  M.  D. 

Hon.  J.  AnMSTnowo, 

Secretary  of  War. 


66 


APPENDIX. 


No.  18. 

Nottingham,  August  ]  0 — 9  J.  M. 
Sir— One  of  my  officers  has  this  moment  arrived  from  the  mouth  of  the  Pa- 
ttixent,  and  brings  the  enclosed  account.     I  haste  to  forward  it  to  you;  the  Ad- 
miral said,  he  would  dine  in  Waslungton  on  Sunday,  after  iiaving  destroyed  the 
flotilla,  &c. 

Yours,  respectfully, 

JOSHUA  BARNEY, 
Hon.  William  Jones. 


m- 


One  80  or  00  gun  ship,  flag  at  the  main. 

Four  74  gun  ships,  one  flag  at  mizzen. 

Six  frigates. 

Ten  ships  about  32  guns. 

Five  small  ships. 

Two  brigs.  \ 

4 

One  large  schooner,  IG  guns. 

Two  smaller  schooners  about  10  guns. 

Thirteen  large  bay  craft. 

A  large  number  of  small  boats  are  now  under  way,  standing  up  the  Patuxent, 
with  a  number  of  men,  with  a  determination  to  go  to  the  city  of  Washington,  as 
they  said  yesterday. 


\. 


August  18—5  o'chck,  P.  M. 
They  have  taken  all  the  horses  in  this  part  of  the  world ;  and  one  of  the  officers 
said  yesterday,  they  had  about  700  on  board. 


No.  19. 


War  Department,  July  12,  1813. 
Sir— In  reply  to  the  inquiry  of  the  honorable  the  Senate,  viz.,  "  What  prepara- 
tions have  been  made,  and  are  now  in  readiness,  for  the  defence  of  the  Navy  Yard 
and  other  public  property  in  the  city  of  Washington,  in  case  it  should  be  assailed 
by  the  enemy  ?"  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  on  the  water  line,  the  means  of 
defence  are  of  two  kinds,  naval  and  military;  and  that  there  are  of  the  former,  one 
frigate,  two  schooners,  and  three  gun-boats,  so  stationed  as  to  co  operate  with  Fort 
Washington ;  that  this  fort  and  its  covering  work  have  been  recently  put  into  a 
state  of  thorough  repair,  are  well  equipped  with  heavy  cannon,  furnaces,  &c.  &c., 
and  are  now  occupied  by  a  competent  garrison  of  United  States  artillerists;  that,  to 
any  attempts  on  the  land  side,  we  can  oppose  the  10th,  36th,  38th,  and  a  detach- 


ari 
tlj 


21 


APPENDIX. 


fif 


J.M. 
the  Pa- 
the  Ad- 
jyed  the 


INEY. 


'^■?- 


J 

v. 


incnt  of  tlie  5lh  rcgimpnts  of  infantry,  and  one  battalion  of  mililia ;  the  whole  amount* 

ing  to  1000  etfectivcs;  that  the  Navy  Yard  and  marine  establishment  can  furnish  an 

additional  defence  of  nearly  one  battalion;  that  two  companies  of  linht  artillery  liava 

been  organized  under  an  olliccr  of  much  experience,  and  are  supi)liod  withcaimon, 

caissons,  &c. ;  that  several  uniformed  corps  are  in  weekly  drill,  and  ready  for  service 

the  moment  that  a  call  upon  them  shall  become  necessary;  that,  within  the  District 

alone,  we  may  eoinit  on  an  additional  (orce  of  nearly  11200  enbctive  militia,  and 

that  a  comiietent  supply  of  arms,  and  of  fixed  and  loose  ammunition,  has  been 

placed  within  their  reach. 

I  liavo  the  lionor  to  be,  with  (jreat  respect, 

Your  most  obt  lunnblo  servant, 

JOHN  ARMSTRONG. 
The  Chairman  of  the  Military  Commillec 

of  the  Senate  of  the  United  Statet.  . 
[From  page  384  of  "American  State  Papers,  Class  V.,  Military  Affairs,"  vol.  i.] 

5i^ 


No.  20. 


Patuxent, 
lington,  as 


k,P.M. 
the  ofRcers 


2,  1813. 
It  prepara- 
Vavy  Yard 
)e  assailed 

means  of 
brmer,  one 

with  Fort 
put  into  a 
es,  &c.  &c., 
its ;  that,  to 
[  a  detach- 


Mount  Air,  Virginia,  County  of  Fairfax,  Jlpril  10,  18-47. 
Col.  Thomas  L.  M'Kennkt. 

Sin — I  have  examined  General  Walter  Smith's  statement,  contained  in  your 
Pamphlet  in  rejjly  to  Mr.  Kosciusko  Armstrong,  in  reference  to  the  conflagration  of 
the  city  of  Washington,  and  my  action  in  connection  therewith;  and  from  my  per- 
fect recollection  of  the  liu'ts,  I  unhesitatingly  confirm  it  as  it  relates  to  trie. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  23d  August,  1814,  I  received,  by  Mr.  Graham,  an  order 
from  the  President,  through  General  Winder,  in  reply  to  a  communication  I  had 
made  early  in  the  morning  of  that  day,  by  the  same  gentleman,  addressed  to  Gene- 
ral Winder,  to  march  with  my  whole  force  to  die  city  of  Washington.  I  immedi- 
ately took  up  my  lino  of  march,  and  reached  the  city  some  time  before  sunset,  and 
at  the  earliest  moment  waited  upon  the  President,  who  received  me  most  cordially, 
and  expressed  great  gratification  diat  I  had  obeyed  his  summons  so  promptly. 
After  stating  the  want  of  arms,  &c.,  for  my  men,  he  directed  me  to  General  Arm- 
strong, who,  ho  said,  would  have  everything  promptly  arranged  to  my  satisfaction. 
I  lost  no  time  in  calling  upon  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  stated  to  him  our  wants  and 
anxiety  to  join  our  brediren  in  arms.  Ho  replied,  that  I  must  call  on  Col.  Carberry,  who 
would  do  what  was  necessary.  Upon  my  stating  that  my  men  were  in  high  spirits, 
and  not  at  all  fatigued,  and  expressing  our  anxiety  to  be  equipped  at  once,  he  said 
that  was  out  of  die  question;  that  it  would  be  time  enough  in  the  morning,  when  it 
would  be  attended  to.  I  retired  much  disappointed  and  chagrined,  and  went,  after 
making  several  ineffectual  efforts  to  find  Col.  Carberry,  to  take  lodgings  with  my 
friend,  Doctor  Ewell,  then  residing  on  Capitol  Hill.  At  10  o'clock  at  night  Col.  Johti 
Tayloe  brought  me  a  jjcremptory  order  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  bearing  date 
23d  August,  1814,  for  me  to  repair  to  Washington  with  the  regiment  under  my 
command,  with  the  utmost  dispatch,  requiring  by  Col.  Tayloe  my  acknowledgment 

9' 


fi$  APPENDIX. 

of  its  receipt,  and  n  copy.  Not  a  little  Biirprlsed  at  inch  an  order,  anrl  more  par- 
lioulnrly  with  the  request  of  a  copy,  after  the  intercourse  I  had  had  with  the  Secretary 
of  War  hours  before,  in  acknowledKing  the  receipt  of  the  order,  I  stated  that  I  imd 
received  a  previous  order  from  the  President,  tiirough  General  Winder,  under 
wiiicii  I  luid  some  time  Ijeforo  repaired  to  Washington.  Cnl.  Tayloe,  on  my  read- 
ing it  to  iiiin,  remarked,  that  as  to  what  had  previously  occurred,  it  mattered  not; 
all  he  required,  was  merely  an  acknowledgment  of  the  receipt,  and  a  copy.  I  pre- 
ferred my  own  course,  and  handed  him  the  acknowleilgrnent  as  I  had  written 
it,  as  may  be  seen  by  reference  thereto.  As  to  the  delay  next  morning  in  getting 
our  equipments,  &c.,  your  reply  is  perfe<;tly  correct. 

My  introiluction  to  the  Secretary  of  War  was  through  my  friend.  Doctor  Ewell, 
and  Doctor  Blake;  but  whether  the  result  of  the  conflict  at  Bladensburg  would  have 
been  different  if  I  had  been  allowed  to  participate  therein,  with  7  or  800  fresh 
Virginia  troops,  is  not  for  me  to  say;  so  you  must  take  the  following  statement  for 
what  it  is  worth.  Some  time  after,  upon  my  calling  upon  Col.  Monroe,  then  Sec- 
retary of  War,  I  founil  Commodore  Barney  in  the  antechamber,  speaking  to  seve- 
ral goutlenien  as  to  the  battle  of  Bladcnsl)\irf{ — in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  (not 
knowing  me.)  he  said:  "If  Minor,  with  his  Virjjiiiia  regiment,  could  have  hucn 
allowed  to  come  up  in  time  so  as  to  support  my  artillery  for  a  few  minutes  longer, 
the  British  never  woidd  have  reacheil  Washington."  Col.  Tayloc  may  have  pre- 
viously sent  me  a  conimimication,  by  a  dragoon,  as  he  has  stated,  but  I  never 
received  any;  and  that  he  handed  me  the  order  in  person, at  10  o'clock  at  night,  as 
stated,  there  is  no  mistake  about  it. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

GKORGE  MINOR, 
Late  Col.  Wth  Itegt.  Va.  Ma. 


No.  21. 

LETTER  OP  THX  LATE  8ECRETART  OP  WAR  TO  THE  EDITORS  OF  THE    BALTIMORE 

PATRIOT. 

It  may  be  due  to  myself,  and  is  certainly  due  to  others,  that  the  reasons  under 
which  I  retired  from  the  direction  of  the  War  Department,  at  a  juncture  so  critical 
as  the  present,  should  be  fully  and  promptly  known  to  the  public.  These  reasons 
will  be  found  in  the  following  brief  exposition  of  facts. 

On  the  evening  of  the  29th  ultimo,  the  President  called  at  my  lodgings,  and 
stated  that  a  case  of  much  delicacy  had  occurred;  that  a  high  degree  of  excitement 
had  been  raised  among  the  militia  of  the  District ;  that  he  was  himself  an  object  of 
their  suspicions  and  menaces;  that  an  officer  of  that  corps  had  given  him  notice, 
that  they  would  no  longer  obey  any  orders  coming  through  me  as  Secretary  of 
War;  and  that,  in  the  urgency  of  the  case,  it  might  be  prudent  so  far  to  yield  to  the 
impulse  as  to  permit  some  other  person  to  exercise  my  functions  in  relation  to  the 
defence  of  the  District. 


r  \ 


APPENDIX. 


59 


Dre  pnr- 
ecrptnry 
nt  I  Imd 
inulor 
iiy  read- 
red  not; 
I  pre- 
written 
Kt'ttiiig 


To  this  Htntemont  and  proposition,  I  answered  siibstantiuiiy  as  follows  :  That  I 
WH8  uwnre  of  tho  excilcmi'nt  to  which  he  nlliidnd,  that  I  knew  its  source,  and  had 
nmrki'd  its  pronross ;  thut  tlio  present  wns  not  a  moment  to  oxiuninc  its  more  occult 
ctiusesi,  objects,  and  u^cnts;  that  it  ostensibly  rested  on  cliHrjjcft  known  to  himself  to 
be  fuise,  tliat  it  was  not  for  mo  to  determine  how  far  the  supposed  urgency  of  tlio 
cnso  made  it  proper  for  him  to  yield  to  an  impulse  so  vile  and  profligate,  so  injuri- 
ous to  truth,  and  t»)  destructive  of  order;  but  that,  for  myself,  there  was  no  choice; 
that  I  could  never  surrender  a  jmrt  of  my  legitimate  authority  for  the  preservation 
of  the  rest — that  I  must  exercise  it  wholly,  or  not  nt  all;  that  I  came  into  oflice  with 
objects  exclusively  piiblii;;  and  that  to  acconunodnto  my  principles  or  my  conduct 
to  the  humors  of  a  village  mob,  stimulated  by  faction  and  led  by  folly,  was  not  the 
way  to  piomot(!  these ;  and  that,  if  his  decision  was  taken  in  coidiirmity  to  the 
suggestions  he  had  made,  I  entreated  him  to  accept  my  resignation  This  he  de- 
clined doing.  It  was  an  extent,  he  was  pleased  to  say,  to  which  h<!  meant  not  to 
go;  that  ho  knew  the  excitement  was  limiti^il,  as  well  with  regard  to  time  as  to 
place;  that  ho  was  now,  and  had  always  been,  fully  sensible  of  the  general  zeal, 
diligence,  and  talent  which  I  had  put  into  the  discharge  of  my  duty,  and  that  it 
would  give  him  pleasure  were  I  to  take  time  to  consider  his  proposition.  1  n;- 
neweil  the  assurance  of  my  great  [)er.>onal  respect,  and  my  readiness  to  conform  to 
liis  wishes  on  all  pro|)(  r  occasions.  I  remarked,  that  whatever  zeal,  diligence,  and 
talent  I  possessed  hail  been  employed  freely,  but  firmly,  ond  according  to  my  best 
views  of  the  pul)lic  good,  and  that,  as  long  as  they  were  left  to  be  so  exerte<l,  they 
were  at  the  service  of  my  country;  but  that  the  moment  they  were  made  to  Ixjvv 
to  military  usurpation  or  political  faction,  there  should  be  an  end  of  their  public 
exercise.  Wo  now  parted,  with  an  understanding  that  I  should  leave  Washington 
the  following  morning. 

It  has  been  since  slated  to  me  as  a  fact,  (to  which  I  give  the  most  reluctant 
belief,)  that  on  the  morning  of  the  IJOth,  and  before  my  arrival  in  the  city,  a  com- 
mittee of  the  inhabitants  of  Georgetown,  of  whom  Alexander  C.  Hanson,  editor  of 
the  Federal  Republican,  was  one,  had  waited  on  the  President,  by  (Jeputation,  and 
had  obtained  from  him  a  [)romise  that  I  should  no  longer  direct  the  military  defences 
of  the  District.     On  this  liict  all  commentary  is  unnecessary. 

It  but  remains  to  exhibit  and  to  answer  the  several  charges  raised  against  me, 
and  which  form  the  groundwork  of  that  excitement  to  which  the  President  has 
deemed  it  prudent  to  sacrifice  his  authority  in  declining  to  support  mine,  They  are 
as  follows,  viz: 

1st.  That  (from  ill  will  to  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  a  design  to  remove  the 
seat  of  government)  I  gave  orders  for  the  retreat  of  the  army  in  the  alliiir  of  the 
24lh  ult,,  under  circumstances  not  making  retreat  necessary  or  proper. 

This  charge  has  not  for  its  support  the  shadow  of  truth.  The  commanding 
general  will  do  me  the  justice  to  say,  that  I  gave  him  no  such  order,  and  that  he 
was,  and  is,  under  the  impression,  tliat  the  retreat  was  made  earlier  than  I  believed 
it  to  be  proper.  To  the  President  I  appeal,  whether  I  did  not  point  out  the  disorder 
and  retreat  of  a  part  of  the  first  line  soon  af\er  the  action  began,  and  stigmatize  it 
as  base  and  infamous. 

2d.  That,  in  despite  of  the  remonstrances  of  General  Winder,  and  by  the  inter- 
position of  my  authority,  1  had  prevented  him  from  defending  the  Capital. 


I  ■ 


60 


APPENDIX. 


This  cliarge  contains  in  it  a  total  perversion  of  tlie  trutli.  When  the  hend  of  the 
retiring  culumn  reached  the  Capital,  it  was  linlted  for  a  moment.  General  Winder 
here  took  occasion  to  state  to  Mr.  Monroe  and  myself,  that  he  was  not  in  condition 
to  maintain  another  conflict,  and  that  his  force  was  broken  down  by  fatif^ue  and 
dispersio!,.  Under  this  representation  wo  united  in  opinion  that  he  should  proceed 
to  occupy  tlie  heitthts  of  Georgetown. 

3d.  That  I  had  witiidrawn  the  covering  party  from  the  rear  of  Fort  Washington, 
and  had  ordered  Captain  Dyson  to  blow  up  the  fort  without  tiring  a  gun. 

This  charge  is  utterly  devoid  of  truth.  The  covering  parly  was  withdrawn  by 
an  order  from  General  Winder,  and  Captain  Dyson's  official  rejjort  shows  that  the 
orders  under  which  he  acted  wer  ■  I'erived  from  the  same  source,  though,  no  doubt, 
mistaken  or  misrepresented. 

4th.  That  by  my  orders  the  Navy  Yard  had  been  burned.  This,  like  its  prede- 
cessors, is  a  positive  falsehood. 

Perceiving  that  no  order  vas  made  for  apprising  Commodore  Tingey  of  the 
retreat  of  the  army,  I  sent  Major  Bell  to  cominunicat  >  the  fact,  and  to  say  that  the 
Navy  Yard  could  no  longer  bo  covered.  The  con'modore  was,  of  course,  left  to 
follow  the  suggestions  of  his  own  mind,  or  to  obey  the  orders,  if  ordera  had  been 
given,  of  the  Navy  Department. 

f)th.  And  lastly,  that  means  had  not  been  taken  to  collect  a  force  suflicient  for  the 
occasion. 

As  the  subject  of  this  rliarge  may  very  soon  become  one  of  Congressional  in- 
quiry, I  shall  at  present  make  but  a  few  remarks. 

1st.  That  no  means  within  reach  of  the  War  Department  had  hern  omitted  or 
withheld;  that  a  separate  military  district,  embracing  the  seat  of  government,  had 
been  created ;  that  an  officer  of  high  rank  and  character  hud  been  placed  in  cliurge 
of  it;  that  to  him  was  given  full  authority  to  call  for  supplies,  and  for  a  militia  furco 
of  fifteen  thousand  men;  that  to  this  force  was  ailded  the  3t)th  regiment  of  the  line, 
a  battalion  of  the  38th,  detachments  of  the  12th,  of  the  artillery,  and  of  the  dra- 
go'jns,  the  marine  corps,  and  the  crews  of  the  flotilla,  under  the  special  command 
of  Commodore  Barney,  making  a  total  of  1G,300  men. 

General  Winder's  oflicial  report  of  the  engagement  of  the  24tli  ult.  shows  how 
much  of  this  force  had  been  assembled,  and  the  causes  why  a  greater  portion  of  it 
had  not  been  got  together.  These  will  be  found  to  have  been  altogether  extraneous 
from  the  Government,  and  entirely  beyond  its  control:  and 

2(1.  That  I'rom  what  is  now  known  of  the  enemy's  force,  of  the  Idss  ho  snstai,..jd 
in  the  enterjjrise,  of  the  marks  of  panic  under  which  he  retreated,  &c.  &c.,  it  is 
obvious,  that  if  all  the  troops  assembled  at  Bladensburg  had  been  faithful  tu  them- 
selves and  to  their  country,  the  enemy  would  have  been  beaten,  and  the  Capital 
saved. 

JOHN  ARMSTRONG. 
Bdltimore.  Septetnher  3,  1814. 


t 


APPENDIX. 


61 


No.  22. 


Adjutant  and  Insp.  Guns.  Ojfice,  Feb.  18,  18 in. 

Sin — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  to  you  a  certilleil  copy  ol'  tlie  Ileport  of  the 
Court  of  Inquiry  appointed  to  investigate  your  inihtary  coiuhict,  as  couuvmiuling 
general  of  the  lOtli  Military  Di:<trict  during  tiie  sunnner  of  1814. 

I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  advise  yuii,  that  the  President  has  Ijeen 
pleased  to  approve  the;  report  and  opinion  of  the  Coiu't;  and  to  express  to  you  tlie 
very  favorable  opinion  which  the  Executive  entertains  of  your  military  and  civil 
character. 

1  iiope  you  will  do  me  the  favor  to  accejit  the  new  assurances  of  my  great  re- 
spect and  regard. 

D.  PARKER, 

JldJ.  and  Lisp.  Gen. 
Bbio.  Gew.  W.  H.  WirrnEn,  U,  Stales  Army, 

GellijHhiirgh,  Pa. 


No.  23. 

Brookville,  Aug.  'JC,  1811—10  o'rlork;  P.  M. 

Dear  Sin — I  expected  this  morning  to  have  reached  General  W.  and  you -self 
before  your  deiiariun-  from  Montgomery  C.  H.,  but  was  delayed  so  tiiat  I  did  not 
arrive  tiiere  till  six  oclock,  partly  to  obtniii  (jnarters,  partly  to  be  vvittiin  eomniuni- 
cation  with  you.  I  have  proceeded  thus  far,  in  company  with  M..  Rush,  General 
Mason,  &c.,  and  avail  myself  of  the  bearer  to  inform  you,  that  1  will  '''.her 'a ait 
hsT'i  till  you  join  me,  or  follow  and  join  you,  as  you  may  think  best.  Let  ir.j  know 
your  idea  on  the  8ubj<'ct  by  the  bearer.  If  you  (h^cide  on  coming  hither,  the  s(K)ner 
the  better.  Mr.  Rush  will  remain  here  idto.  Mr.  Jones  is  with  my  family  and 
his  own  on  the  other  side  of  the  Potomac,  but  will  como  to  the  city  the  mo- 
ment he  hears  of  its  evacuation.  General  Armstrong  and  Mr.  Campbell  arc  I 
miderstand,  at  Fredericktovvn.  I  shall  give  them  iinmediato  not'ce  of  tin;  i  hang' 
in  tlie  state  of  things,  and  desire  them  to  conform  to  it.  A  letter  fiom  GcinTal 
Smith  fof  Winchester)  to  General  A.  was  put  into  my  hands,  by  an  express  at 
Montgomery  C.  H.,  stating  tliat  a  brigade  of  m'litia  could  come  on  or  not,  as  might 
be  desired.  I  have  sent  it  oi^ii  to  Gen.  W.,  who  can  judge  best  of  the  answer  pro- 
per to  be  given,  and  will  act  on  the  letter  accordingly. 

Accept  my  best  wishes  and  great  esteem. 


J.  MADISON. 


Jamks  MoNnoK,  Esq,.,  Secretary  of  Stale. 

To  be  opened  by  Gev.  Windeh. 


Montpr.,  Sept.  15,  ISHl. 
Dear  Sin — I  am  sensible  of  the  delay  in  acknowledging  your  letter  of 
nnil  regret  it.     But  apart  from  the  crippled  condition  of  my  health,  wliicli  almost 
forbiils  the  use  of  the  pen,  I  could   not  forget  tiiat  I  was  to  .speak  of  occurrences 


63 


APPENDIX. 


R 


after  a  liipso  of  twenty  years,  and  at  an  age  in  its  84th  year;  circumstances  so 
readily,  and,  for  tlie  most  part,  justly  referred  to,  as  impairing  the  confidence  due  to 
recollections  and  opinions. 

You  wish  me  to  express  personally  my  api)roval  of  your  father's  character  and 
conduct  at  the  battle  of  Bladensburg,  on  the  ground  of  my  being  fully  acquainted 
with  everything  connected  with  them,  and  of  an  ability  to  judge  of  which  no  man 
can  doubt. 

You  appear  not  to  have  sufficiently  reflected,  that,  having  never  been  engaged  in 
military  service,  my  judgment  in  the  case  could  not  have  the  weight,  with  others, 
which  your  partiality  assumes  for  it;  but  might  rather  expose  me  to  a  charge  of 
presumption  in  deciding  on  points  purely  of  a  professional  description;  nor  was  I 
in  the  field  as  a  spectator  till  the  order  oJ'  the  battle  had  been  formed,  and  had  ap- 
proached the  moment  of  its  commencement. 

With  respect  to  the  order  of  the  battle,  that,  being  known,  will  speak  for  itself; 
and  die  gallantry,  activity,  and  zeal  of  your  father  during  the  action  had  a  witness 
in  every  observer.  If  liis  etlbrts  were  not  rewarded  with  success,  candor  will  find 
an  explanation  in  the  peculiarities  he  hail  to  encounter,  especially  in  the  advan- 
tag'.'s  possessed  in  the  veteran  troops  of  the  enemy  over  a  militia,  which,  liowever 
brave  and  patriotic,  coi^M  not  be  a  match  for  them  in  the  open  field. 

I  cannot  but  persuade  myself  that  the  evidence  on  record,  and  the  verdict  of  the 
Court  of  Inquiry,  will  outweigh  and  outlive  censorious  comments,  doing  injustice  to 
the  character  and  memory  of  your  father.  For  myself,  I  have  always  had  a  high 
respect  for  his  many  excellent  qualities;  and  am  gratified  by  die  assurance  you 
give  me  of  the  place  I  held  in  his  esteem  and  regard. 
With  friendly  respects  and  salutations, 

JAMES  MADISON.(i) 

W.  H.  WixDEii,  Ksa., 
Philadelphia. 


No.  24. 


Department  -f  War,  Sipt.  2'J,  IS  14. 
SiK — I  have   to  rerjuest  that  you  will,  without  any  unavoidable  delay,  repair  to 
the  army  on  the  Strait  of  Niagara,  where  your  services  are  deemed  of  importance. 

On  your  arrival  there  you  will  report  yourself  to  die  commanding  general,  who 
will  give  you  a  command. 

1  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  sir. 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  MONROE. 
Brio.  Gkjt.  Wm.  H.  Winukr, 
Baltimore. 


(')  It  sliould  be  borne  in  mind   diat  die  politics  of  General  Wind(>r  were  not 
those  of  die  administration. 


am 
Wi 
Wa 


APPENDIX. 


63 


No.  2r). 

•Adjutant  and  Inspedor  Generals  Office,  Feb.  2.1,  1815. 
Oenehai.  OnnER. 
The  Secretary  of  War  ilirects  tliat  tlic  following  Warrnnt,  wiili  the  Report  of  the 
Court  of  Inquiry  in  the  case  of  Brigadier  General  Winder,  be   publi.shoil  to   the 
aiiny. 

WARRANT. 

Brigadier  General  W.  H.  Winder,  of  the  United  States  Army,  having  applied  for  a 
Court  of  Inquiry,  to  examine  and  inquire  into  his  conduct  as  commanding  general 
of  the  lOih  Military  District,  during  his  command  thereof  in  the  summer  of  1814 : 

A  Court  of  Inquiry,  to  consist  of  iMajor  General  W.  Scott,  President,  Col.  John 
R.  Fcnwick  and  Col.  Wm.  Drayton,  mombors,  is  hereby  appointed  to  meet  at  Balti- 
more on  the  Qfith  day  of  January,  1815,  to  examine  into  the  conduct  of  Brigadier 
General  Winder,  as  embraced  in  the  Report  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  Congress  of  tlie  United  States  by  their  Connnittee  appointed  to  inquire  into  the 
causes,  and  particulars  of  the  invasion  of  the  city  of  Washington  by  the  British 
forces  in  the  month  of  August,  1814,  and  such  other  evidence  and  documents  as 
may  be  laid  before  the  Court  by  Lieut.  J.  M.  Glassell,(')  who  is  hereby  appointeil 
recorder  of  the  same.  The  Court  is  hereby  empowered  and  required  to  give  its 
opinion  as  to  the  merits  of  the  case,  for  tlic  information  of  the  President  of  the 
United  Stutesj  an<l  for  so  doing  this  shall  be  a  sufllcient  warrant. 

Given  under  my  hand,  and  the  seal  of  the  War  Office,  this  21st  day  of  January, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifteen,  and  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  United  States  tlie  3'Jth. 

By  command  ol"  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

JAMES  MONROE, 

Secretary  of  War. 

REPORT. 

The  Court  of  Inquiry  ordered  to  examine  into  and  report  upon  the  conduct  of 
Brigadier  General  Winder,  so  far  as  it  is  connected  with  the  capture  and  destruc- 
tion of  the  City  of  Washington  in  August,  1814,  unanimously  submit  Uie  following 
as  the  result  of  their  investigations. 

The  Court,  with  great  attention  and  much  labor,  have  perused  the  numerous  papers 
and  docmncnts  referred  to  them,  from  whence  they  collect — that  Brigadier  General 
Winder  was  appointed  to  the  conunand  of  die  10th  Military  District,  of  whicli 
Washington  was  a  part,  on  the  2d  of  July,  1814;  (hut  immediately  thereafter  ho 


(')  By  subsequent  order  Lieut.  G.  L  Nicholas  was  appointed  recorder. 


64 


APPENDIX. 


took  every  means  in  lii3  power  to  put  tli.it  Di.xtrict  into  a  proper  slate  of  defence; 
thn  from  the  period  wlien  well  grounded  apprehensions  were  entertained  lliat  the 
enen  y  meditated  an  attaclv  upon  the  Capital,  his  exertions  were  great  and  unrc- 
mitte;!;  that  througli  these  exertions  he  was  enabled  to  bring  into  tlie  field,  on  the 
24th  of  August,  1814,  the  day  on  whicii  the  battle  of  Biadensburg  was  fought, 
about  5  or  0000  men,  all  of  whom,  excepting  400,  were  militia;  that  lie  coidd  not 
collect  much  more  than  one-half  of  this  force  until  a  day  or  two  previously  to  the 
engagement,  and  G  or  700  of  them  did  not  arrive  until  fifteen  tninntes  before  its 
commencement;  that  from  the  uncertainty  whethei  Baltimore,  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton, or  Fort  Washington  would  be  selected  as  the  point  of  attack,  it  was  necessary 
that  Brigadier  General  Winder's  troops  should  frequently  change  their  positions, 
owing  to  which,  and  alarms  ciaiseiessly  excited  on  the  night  of  the  Q^ld  of  August, 
they  were  all  much  fatigued,  and  many  of  tliem  nearly  exhausted  at  the  time  when 
the  hostile  army  was  crossing  the  bridge  at  Biadensburg;  that  the  odicers  cominand- 
ing  the  troops  were  generally  unknown  to  General  Winder,  and  but  a  small  num- 
ber of  tliom  had  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  military  instruction  or  exi>cririico. 

The  members  of  this  Court,  in  common  with  their  fellowciii/.ens,  lament  deeply 
the  cai)ture  of  the  Capital;  and  they  regard  with  no  ordinary  indignatii)n  the  spolia- 
tion of  its  edifices,  those  public  monuments  of  art  and  science,  alwiiys  deemed 
sacred  by  a  brave  and  generous  foe;  but  amidst  these  minghni  and  (Minllicting  sen- 
sations, they  nevertheless  feel  it  to  bo  their  duty  to  separate  the  individual  from  the 
calamities  surrounding  him,  and  to  doclare  that  to  the  oirieer  ujjon  whose  oondnct 
they  are  to  determine,  no  censure  is  attributable.  On  the  contniry,  when  fney  take 
into  consideiation  the  complicated  difficulties  and  embarrassments  under  which  he 
labored,  they  are  of  opinion,  notwithstanding  the  result,  that  he  is  entitled  to  no 
little  commendation ;  before  the  action  he  exhibited  industry,  zeal,  and  talent,  and 
during  its  continuance  a  coolness,  a  promptitude,  and  a  personal  valour  highly 
honorable  to  himself,  and  worthy  of  a  better  fate. 

W.  SCOTT, 
Major,  Gen.  and  President. 

Attest  G.  L.  NICHOLAS, 

Lieut,  and  Recorder. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  having  been  plearni  to  approve  the  foregoing 
opinion  of  the  Court  of  Inquiry,  Brigadier  General  Winder  will  honorably  resinno 
his  connnand,  and  report  to  the  major  general  commanding  districts  Nos.  4  and  10. 
By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

D.  PARKER, 
jldj.  and  Inspr,  General. 


APPENDIX, 


65 


No.  26. 

Head  Quarters.  Alh  and  lOth  Military  Dists.,  Baltimore,  March  12,  ISlf). 

GsNEnAL    ORDEnS. 

Tlje  commaiid  of  the  10th  MiHtnry  District  is  assigned  to  Brigadier  General 
Wrn.  H.  Winder,  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  wlio  will  make  his  report  to,  and  correspond 
directly  with,  the  War  Department. 

W.  SCOTT, 
Maj.  Gen.  commanding. 


No.  27. 

Jldjutant  and  Inspector  lleneral's  Office,  March  31,  1815. 
Sin — I  have  the  honor  to  n-qucst  that  you  will  report  to  tliis  office  the  posts  and 
places  within  your  district,  which  it  niny  be  necessary  to  garrison  in  time  of  peace, 
and  the  nimibcr  and  kind  of  troops  which  will  be  required  for  each. 

This  information  will  be  necessary  to  enable  the  Secretary  of  War  rightly  to  dis- 
tribute the  small  force  which  Congress  lias  left  to  the  disposal  of  the  Executive. 

Your  early  attention  to  this  subject  will  promote  the  interests  of  the  army,  and 
very  much  oblit,e 

Your  ino-!t  obedient  servant, 

D.  PARKER, 
Adjt.  and  Insp.  Gen. 
The  Commanding  Gencnil  Dist.  No.  U),  Baltimore. 


No.  28. 


Baltimore,  May  21,  1815. 

Sin — I  have  received  your  circular  of  the  2'id  inst.,  enclosing  the  army  list  for 
the  peace  establishment,  and  the  accompanying  orders,  to  which  I  shall  conform. 

T  beg  to  avail  myyelf  of  this  opportunity  to  state,  that  I  did  not  req;  ^t,  uui  to  tje 
considered  as  one  of  those  from  whom  the  selection  to  compose  the  peace  estab- 
lishment was  to  be  made,  from  any  disinclination  to  continue  in  the  service — on  the 
contrary,  I  had  wholly  surrendered  myself  to  the  profession  of  a  soldier — but  be- 
cause I  was  aware  that  there  were  officers  of  my  own  grade,  who,  to  say  the  least, 
hud  been  iiutre  fortanate  than  myself,  and  others  who  had,  at  an  early  period, 
devoted  themselves  tu  a  mi'itary  life,  and  woidd,  therefore,  feel  much  greater  em- 
barrassment in  returning  to  civil  employment  than  myself;  and  I  was  not  willing  to 
place  myself  in  competition  with  gentlemen  who,  from  those  causes,  if  none  other,  I 

10 


66 


APPENDIX. 


thouglit  had  a  claim  to  prelerence.  I  vvisli  this  motive  to  bo  distinctly  understood 
by  the  President,  that  my  having  declined  to  talce  my  chance  of  continuance  in 
service  at  this  moment  may  not  prejudice  my  pretensions  on  any  future  occasion. 

I  beg  you  will  also  allow  nie  to  ask  if  any,  and  what  representations  were  made 
to  induce  my  brother's  name  to  be  stricken  out  of  the  army  list  as  judge  advocate, 
after  the  unanimous  recommendation  of  the  board,  volunteered  on  their  part,  in  liis 
behalf.  1  cannot  but  feel  solicitous  on  this  point,  since  I  caiuiot  suppose  that  the 
recommenilation  of  the  board  so  honorably  given  in  his  behalf  would  have  been 
overruled,  unless  some  very  strong  objections,  unknown  to  the  board,  had  been 
made  against  him.  The  motive  which  produces  this  solicitude  on  my  part  will,  I 
am  sure,  recommend  itself  very  decisively  to  your  feelings. 

I  am,  &c.  &e , 

W.  H.  WINDER. 

Hon.  a.  .1.  Dallas, 

Acling  Seirelttry  of  War,  Washington  Ci/y. 


Department  of  War,  May  29,  1815. 

Sir — I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  24th  instant.  The  motives  of  your  con- 
duct in  declining  to  be  considered  as  one  of  the  officers  from  whom  the  selection  to 
compose  the  military  peace  establishment  was  to  be  made,  have  been  justly  appre- 
ciated ;  and  they  will  be  communicated  to  the  President  in  compliance  with  your 
request. 

The  very  sincere  personal  respect  and  esteem  which  I  feel  for  you,  will  induce 
me  to  depart  from  the  rule  that  I  had  presented  to  myself  in  relation  to  the 
arrangement  of  the  military  peace  establishment.  The  general  ofTiceis  were  con- 
sulted confidentially,  their  opinions,  though  entitled  to  great  attention,  co'dd  never  be 
regarded  as  conclusive  ;  and  you  will  readily  perceive,  that  private  indiviti'ials  have 
no  right  to  demand  the  reasons  which  inlliience  this  department  in  the  pcn'ormance 
of  its  public  duties.  But  as  an  exception  to  my  general  rule,  and  in  a  si)irit  of  per- 
fect good  will,  the  inquiry  in  the  case  of  your  brother  shall  be  answered. 

The  Act  of  Congress  of  the  lllli  of  January,  1812,  authorizes  the  appointment 
of  a  judge  advocate  to  each  division  of  the  army.  Marylatul  is  at  the  extreme  of 
divisions  of  the  North;  and  it  was  deemed  expedient,  in  particular,  that  one  of  the 
judge  advocates  should  reside  in  the  State  of  New  York,  where  the  great  body  of 
the  army  of  that  division  will  jjrobably  be  stationed.  This  view  of  the  subject  will 
naturally  account  for  the  change  that  has  been  made;  and  bo  assured  that  no  sen- 
timent of  disrespect  or  unkindness  mingled  in  the  transaction. 

A.  J    i^ALLaS. 

Brio.  (j!kn.  W.  H.  Winiikh. 


THK.    END. 


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INDER. 


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ALLhS. 


